‘No such thing as too much glitter’ – agency turns 10-year-old’s doodle into brand guidelines
Australian health agency Wellmark has subverted the conventions of internal branding by converting a 10-year-old’s glittering logo redesign into official brand identity guidelines.
Wellmark's refreshed logo (with added glitter)
Bryce Michelmore’s daughter, Holly, decided the Wellmark logo needed a refresh after catching a glimpse at her dad’s work. Forgoing focus groups, pitches and an intense research process, Holly’s gut instinct produced a multicoloured, heart-shaped emblem that features a butterfly, a thumbs up, a rainbow and a unicorn poking its head out from the ‘W’.
Ryan Wallman, the agency’s associate creative director, was so taken with the sheer creativity of the design that he developed a comprehensive set of brand guidelines anchored on Holly’s work.
“[It wasn’t] difficult at all, to be honest,” said Wallman, who is known for tweeting modern marketing opinion as @Dr_Draper. “It was fun to meld the usual stultifying conventions of brand guidelines with something so unconventional.”
The ACD dubbed the logo ‘the Wellmagination device’, a mark that 'represents freedom from constraints’.
Highlights from the alternative guidelines include: ‘The tagline ‘The Brand that excites you!’ ... tells people that our brand is exciting – and that it will excite them. To avoid any ambiguity about this subtle message, inclusion of the exclamation mark is non-negotiable; and ‘Whereas other companies use sky blue (BORING!) we use all the colours of the rainbow’. (Wellmark’s original logo is sky blue and grey).
Employers are also reminded in the booklet that ‘there is no such thing as too much glitter. If in doubt, add more’.
Wallman believes the work to encapsulate Wellmark's forte: creativity within the context of regulatory constraints in health.
“We would argue that that internal branding work should ultimately be inspiring, rather than boring and alienating,” said Wallman. “But the other reason for doing this is simply to celebrate the joy that creativity can bring, at any age.”
