Iconic Studios x Loblaw Agency
All About Branding with Christian Martinez
Sagi Dar | November 17, 2022
Interviewee: Christian Martinez - Design Director @ Loblaw Agency
Interviewer: Manya Ganju
In our previous blogs, we focused on and discussed the intricacies of logos, how they’ve evolved, why they’re essential, and even their color psychology. Let us look deeper into brand logos and discuss what it’s like to work in the industry as a Design Director. Speaking with industry expert Christian Martinez, a Design Director at Loblaws Agency, we discussed his previous work experiences, what it’s like to work as a Design Director, and the ins and outs of logo creation and design. His knowledge and expertise in this field are extensive and sure to be incredibly valuable to anyone looking to work in the design industry.
A ‘War Room’ is Incomplete Without its Soldiers
Whether cultivating a new brand or redesigning an existing one, developing a brand, specifically a logo, takes a lot of work. According to Christian, creating a ‘war room’ is one of the first things an agency does when working on a new creative campaign. It serves as the campaign's headquarters - a room filled to the brim with information and research on all the current creative ideas circulating the market relating to the campaign. Most importantly, it includes information on the brand’s competitors. Doing this gives the campaign a ‘creative landscape,’ a perspective on what others are doing, what’s working or not, and what you want your brand to do and not do. This information is imperative for the success of a brand’s development.
A ‘War Room’ is incomplete without its soldiers. A vital member of the creative team is the brand strategist. Christian mentioned their purpose is to ‘get under the hood of a brand.’ For a brand campaign to be successful, the brand itself needs to be understood on a fundamental level. What is the brand’s voice? Their belief? Who are they trying to reach? Finding the answers to these questions can help determine the type of design and logo that would best work for the company. Another critical member would be the designer(s), who would then use all the information gathered from the ‘war room’ and the brand strategist to create a fitting design. A design that effectively portrays the brand’s beliefs while maintaining a uniqueness to set it apart from the competition.
Meats and Potatoes of the Brand
Christian talked about what choices would appeal to customers and attract their attention concerning the company and brand identity. When asked what design choices stand out to customers, Christian stated that the most significant thing a brand can do for itself is focusing on the greater good. “That’s become a huge, huge thing right now. What is the brand’s purpose outside of just selling and putting things to market? Consumers are a lot savvier than they were many years ago. Now they’re questioning their choices, their materials, and where things are manufactured or sourced.” When a company launches a new creative campaign, it is best to align its current design choices with that campaign so that its brand identity resonates much stronger with consumers and the general public viewing it.
Discussing logo conceptualization, we inquired if he thinks a specific style of logo works better than others, for instance, minimalism or a fancy imagery. The Design Director explained that it depends on the brand's DNA and heritage, positioning, roots, or the need to shift or move away from its current look. Talking about the company’s brand identity and strategy is vital. For example, Nike’s logo hasn’t been redesigned or changed drastically since they decided on the iconic ‘Swoosh’ symbol, which speaks to how iconic and recognizable the Nike brand is. Christian worked on the Tim Hortons account and recalled how the company was reluctant to use ‘Tims’ in their branding as they felt it ‘belonged to the people.’ Only recently did they decide to include it in their ad campaigns by saying ‘It’s Time for Tims’ and incorporate it into their branding.
Is Rebranding the Right Step?
Whether or not a company should go under a rebrand depends on many factors. It must be thoroughly considered and discussed beforehand because while it can be an effective tactic, it only sometimes yields positive results. The process more or less boils down to “have you lost connection with your audience? Maybe it’s not the logo, maybe it’s something bigger,” says Christian. In terms of colour, rebranding may be the right choice to follow or disrupt the competition. Colour theory plays a huge role in a brand and is an excellent detail to be aware of, primarily when representing a client. There may even be times when certain aspects are not implemented, and a rebrand becomes necessary. Accessibility is a common concern when creating a brand but is usually not thought of until the late stages and can often be missed. Ultimately, rebranding should serve a purpose.
The Curious One Wins the Race
Christian shared a few words of wisdom for the future generation of the design industry. He mentioned always being curious, both in the industry and beyond. If you have the opportunity to travel, do it because it opens you up to different perspectives and lifestyles outside your own. Always be a life learner and try to teach yourself new things. Another insight he provided was always being open to feedback, whether good or bad. When you deliver your work to a customer or client, you should always expect feedback and learn to accept it. Some feedback is very subjective, and it is essential to ask the customer the appropriate questions to understand the problem and how you can address it. Providing the customer with multiple options is always a good idea.
We Say Goodbye
We Say Goodbye
The job of a design director is never done. Christian has provided us with his experience and insight of the industry. From working in a ‘war room’ to discussing logo conceptualization, we’ve learned a lot from Christian about what it’s like to work as a design director. It takes a lot to work on and create a companies brand. What are your competitors doing? How can you connect with your consumers? These are the types of questions you need to answer in order to have a successful brand. Overall, Christian showed us the significance of branding and the relationship it has with a logo.