Industry Craft > Art Direction

MULLENLOWE GLOBAL REBRAND

MULLENLOWE U.S., New York / MULLENLOWE GLOBAL / 2024

Awards:

Shortlisted Cannes Lions
CampaignCampaignLayout(opens in a new tab)
Supporting Content
Supporting Content
Demo Film

Overview

Credits

Overview

Why is this work relevant for Industry Craft?

MullenLowe’s new identity pays tribute to the octopus’ fluidity and adaptability. From typography to motion design, every element builds upon this concept with an exceptional, craft-centric approach.

We emphasized the fluid nature of the octopus rather than its physical form. We pushed boundaries with a logo designed to change and evolve as necessary without compromising its iconic essence.

We encouraged everyone to create their own logo, embracing the individuality of each employee visually, enriching our identity as they enrich our agency.

Please provide any cultural context that would help the Jury understand any cultural, national or regional nuances applicable to this work.

We set out to launch a whole new visual identity that needed to be not only incredibly simple (as we are a global brand operating at a global scale with global clients, audiences, and nuances) but also reflect each of our thousands of employees in a unique way.

We created a logo strong and fluid enough to change and shift as many times as needed without losing its iconic nature. Then we invited everyone to make it their own.

The visual identity became a powerful tool to instill a sense of pride and belonging within a network that felt outdated and corporate. Each region adopted this visual identity while maintaining a controlled, strict, and unified design output.

Background:

MullenLowe grappled with an inconsistent visual identity problem with different network regions using their own logo versions. One thing remained consistent: the octopus was a unifying symbol of the network.

The brief was to distinguish ourselves from other agencies – it was not just a desire, but a necessity. Our new identity had to be simple enough to resonate globally yet nuanced enough for every region.

With this brief, we saw a significant opportunity to showcase our conceptual and executional capabilities. We revamped the visual identity around the octopus icon. It pays homage to the octopus' fluidity and adaptability, focusing on its essence rather than physical form. The logo is designed to evolve without losing its iconic nature and crafted to show personalization at scale. Every campaign element makes a bold statement in terms of both thinking and craftsmanship, all while reinforcing the concept of the octopus' fluidity and adaptability.

Tell the jury about the art direction.

Art direction played a pivotal role in MullenLowe’s rebranding. The cohesive aesthetic is achieved through a reductionist and bold approach, melding fluid, ever-changing shapes with robust typography and a precise, editorial, grid system. The outcome is remarkably coherent, memorable, and uniform, despite each element possessing its own personality and graphic style. Some elements feature 3D and volumetric designs, while others consist of flat outlines; the logo symbolizes fluidity, while the wordmark evokes a timeless, grounded essence. The harmonious integration of these diverse elements into a well-structured, unconventional visual identity is attributed to meticulous craftsmanship and thoughtful consideration of every art direction decision.

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