How anonymity became the new chic and other

(de)branding stories

Vanishing identities

#1 - December 2013 - Cécile Maury

Introduction

“The chicest thing is when you don’t exist on Google. God, I would love to be that person!” - Fashion designer Phoebe Philo

• “TMI” (Too Much Information)After years of online extimacy and oversharing, Internet users are increasingly interested in protecting their privacy and are starting to reconsider their relationship with social media.

These last few months the Snowden affair has, of course, accentuated distrust.

• Incognito is the new chic Online anonymity as the new grail: in an era of information overload and online exhibitionism, not being on the Internet (remaining “ungoogleable”) means rising above the herd.

• New branding strategies: evolving identities Brands are exploring new, more creative ways to promote themselves as a response to a growing

“Mass observation is a global phenomenon. And we are recording aspects of our lives for each other. God knows what the next generations of historians will be able to do with the sheer number of pieces of data we’ve collected through lifelogging and these other phenomena.

We’ve seen our culture become more exhibitionistic but we’ve also seen people become more uncomfortable with too much information. That’s the tension that we’re going to see playing out over the next decade.” Prof. Henry Jenkins, University of South CarolinaSource: BBC News Technology, “How much lifelogging could you tolerate?”

Total recall

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Lifelogging means people cannot really opt out.

It’s not only about what YOU share; it is about what other

people might share about you.

Choosing when to appear and when not to

Untagging oneself, browsing anonymously, cloaking*

86% of internet users have taken steps online to remove or

mask their digital footprints – ranging from clearing cookies to

encrypting their email (Pew Internet 2013 survey)

* Cloaking: “You can imagine a service that says, I don’t want my name to show up on any social services for the next three hours”

Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley (Source: NY Times)

Escaping surveillance engines. “Untag me” t-shirts.

Pixelhead, anti-facial recognition mask by German artist Martin Backes

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Managing one’s digital footprint

...”Faceless ME” is a VPN service used to surf the web anonymously

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An•o•nym•i•tyn. pl. an•o•nym•i•tiesThe quality or state of being unknown or unacknowledged

Artist Diane Meyer’s embroidered pixels 7

Faceless artists

“I think Andy Warhol got it wrong: in the future, so many people are going to become famous that one day everybody will end up being anonymous for 15 minutes.” Banksy

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“This exhibition explores the various strategies and projects of revolt and self-empowerment in the face of these overpowering standards that we can never satisfy.

It shows that not only outsiders and critical artists are developing their very own subversive methods to escape: even popular culture long ago started to respond to the glut of faces, to the notion that we should forever be recognizable.Faces do not disappear: they hide themselves behind masks, are manipulated beyond recognition, sometimes disfi gured. This exhibition on faceless faces, then, can also be read as an ironic, angry, and above all justifi ed criticism of our media reality.”

Brigitte Felderer, University of Applied Arts Vienna

“Faceless” exhibition

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Parts one and two, Vienna, 2013

Faceless models

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Maison Martin Margiela AW2013 Givenchy SS2014 Craig Green AW2013 Scott James SS2013

Debranding: How (not) toDISAPPEAR completely

“These days, brand experience is key and the holy grail for many is to create such a great experience, that there is less of a need for overt branding or labeling: the experience can speak for itself.” Lucy Fisher, The Guardian, August 2013

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Logo fatigue: a return to stealth wealth

exemplified by Louis Vuitton’s intention to reduce

the visibility of its monogrammed products in

order to regain a sense of exclusivity.

Customers have turned into connoisseurs and

are no longer impressed with logos which are

deemed vulgar and nouveau riche by educated

customers.

In China, “even an ayi, i.e. a maid, can buy LV”.

“Of course it would be easier for Louis Vuitton to boost its revenue; all it would take would be to launch ten new products with the monogram product, but down the road it’s not a good strategy”. Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEOSource:“Has Logo Fatigue Reached a Tipping Point?”, Business of Fashion, March 2013

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1. Vanishing logos

Analysis / What’s in a name?

Share a Coke: focusing on customer experience

Spring/summer 2013: Coke replaces its branding with popular forenames

across hundreds of millions of packs

The focus is shifting from the brand to consumer experience

Coke retains its visual identity (color code, graphic design, iconic bottle) while

inviting consumers to be part of something larger

• A personalized experience

While Starbucks offers “on-site personalization” with baristas writing customers’

name on each coffee cup, Coke takes it one step further by suggesting that

everyone is already part of the “Coke family” (from the very early stages of

production, i.e. from the factory)

Consumers become an integral part of the product and of the brand

• Sponsoring precious moments

Consumers are not invited to buy a Coke just for themselves ; they are invited

to share it and, much more than a drink, they are invited to share a moment with

someone they love – and then to share it with everyone online!

The brand operates a successful shift from a material, commonplace reality to

a higher level, i.e. from utilitarian values to existential values.

The result - A massive success! By dropping its name and turning its product

into an experience, Coke not only stands out from the noise but also invites

consumers 1/to be part of the brand and 2/to adhere to “Coke” values, i.e.

friendship and sharing.20

• Asserting the brand’s iconic status• Selling an experience, not just a product• Creating a more personal relationship with consumers

Debranding

Insights In a context of infobesity where too many brands are competing, high

equity brands can use debranding to counter “logo fatigue” and distinguish

themselves.

Debranding allows them to: 1. stand out from the noise and 2. “elevate the

debate” by communicating existential values.

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In the Harvard Business Review, Mitch Joel describes “a new generation of brands that are

without logo, built on pure utility and function, and are intentionally unbranded.”

2. Back to basics

“Many new entrants are producing these customized and personalized — nearly unbranded — products for an ever-growing global consumer-base that is interested less in the label and brand experience and much more in something that can be uniquely “them.””

“The maker movement is giving rise to a new industry of individuals who are creating products that are both completely individualized and brand-less — and, thanks to the Internet, available worldwide.”

Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/01/the-rise-of-the-unbrand/

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Analysis/ Debranded brand namesCommodity by Ferroconcrete: focusing on the product An online ‘scent tailoring’ service funded via Kickstarter to provide an

alternative to a fragrance industry obsessed with branding. Although

Commodity does not adopt a debranding strategy per se, it does typify the

shift from brand to product/function, customized experience guaranteed.

• All that matters is the product

Commodity’s intent to focus on the product goes beyond the fact of reducing

advertising or eliminating celebrity endorsements. It is also expressed

through brand identity, from the minimalist yet refined packaging design to

the name “Commodity”. The notion of basic elements / raw materials is also

perceptible in the names chosen for the scents: Wool, Ivy, Paper, Moss, etc.

• A customized experience

A “scent tailoring” service allows the consumer to choose scents and test

them in his/her own home. He/she then receives the selected ones to his/her

doorstep, offering a very different experience from traditional retailers.

• Communicating on value for money The brand’s main selling point – no advertising + no retail markup = more

affordable, quality products – is explicit and emphasizes the brand’s innova-

tive approach, which makes the most of the Internet to create short distribu-

tion channels (from producer to consumer) benefiting the consumer.

The result: A branding strategy focusing on the customer’s interest and

positioning Commodity as a no-nonsense, innovative brand. In an “industry

had been almost untouched by the Internet age”; Commodity is bringing

change and creating a new model.

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• Maker movement • Consumers paying for a product, not for branding or advertising• Value, simplicity, functionality

“Your product is your branding”

Insights Commodity, as well as other up-and-coming brands, exemplifies a

trend closely linked to the notion of debranding which is growing

alongside the spread of the Maker movement.

The “from maker to buyer” is gaining ground and questioning

traditional marketing tools.

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From esoteric imagery to “punctuation bands”

using mathematical signs to remain ungoogle-

able, secret references are everywhere.

(Alleged) hidden meanings allow people to feel

part of a select community – insiders only.

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3. Looking for signs

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Analysis/ Twisting brand identity

Peter Saville for Lacoste. The British designer reinvents the

brand’s logo: 80 variations to celebrate Lacoste’s 80th anniversary. A a less

literal approach to brand recognition.

• A demythologized logo

The new designs retain the size and colour of the original logo (green).

The crocodile silhouette was also kept for about half of the logos ; the others

– some of which are squiggly others spiky or minimal – are very abstract

interpretations that can barely be recognized.

By allowing Saville to give free rein to his inspiration, Lacoste demonstrates

its ability not take itself too seriously and its appetite for creativity.

• Secret signs for connoisseurs

The fact that some logos are not easily recognized is a plus for the brand

in that it adds a sense of exclusivity – and thus complements the limited

edition strategy adopted by Lacoste. The Saville crocodiles become secret

signs that only connoisseurs are able to identify as Lacoste logos.

The result: By allowing its logo to be modernised and demythologized,

Lacoste sanctions a bold, inspired approach and proves its ability to

combine permanence and creativity. The brand also plays on consumers’

desire to be part of a select club of Lacoste connoisseurs.

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• Logo fatigue • Consumers’ quest for exclusivity• Building a brand community

Reinterpreted logosSecret signsCode names

Insights

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As logo fatigue is spreading, brands need to find new ways to

convey exclusivity.

Creative takes on brand identities through reinterpreted logos

but also through “secret” signs, code names etc. provide

a less literal approach to brand recognition and answer

consumers’ need to belong to a select community.

Debranding to achieve better branding

As individuals increasingly tend to hide their identity to protect their privacy, brands are also

experimenting with anonymity to create new branding strategies.

Debranded products, logo variations, code names: new expressions are emerging, deeply

changing the established rules of branding and transforming the brand-consumer

relationship.

“No branding is becoming increasingly popular. One advantage that brands are looking for when adopting this approach is prestige – being able to demonstrate that they are a brand that is so well-known or so cool that they don’t need to shout about it, making obvious branding unnecessary.

Less well-known logos are unlikely to get any more renown without obvious use, but in some cases the ability to buy brands that are not well-known has become attractive to customers.”Julia Dickenson, senior associate at Baker & McKenzie Source: World Trade Mark Review

Vanishing identities

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For a complete report customized to your needs, you can contact me by email : cecile.maury@gmx.com

Thank you!

Photo credits 1. Google Glass www.google.fr/glass/start/ - www.crunchwear.com2. Memoto http://getnarrative.com/ www.gizmag.com 3. Kapture http://kaptureaudio.com/ www.crunchwear.com4. “Untag me” t-shirt www.williamstites.net5. Faceless Me http://faceless.me/6. Pixelhead www.martinbackes.com7. Diane Meyer www.dianemeyer.net8. Thomas Pynchon, The Simpsons http://bleedingedge.pynchonwiki.com9. “The Golden age” - Woodkid http://noisey.vice.com/10. Daft Punk www.timeout.com 11. Invader www.gameblog.fr12. Banksy, “Exit Through the gift shop” www.youtube.com13. Faceless exhibition www.facelessexhibition.net14. Maison Martin Margiela AW2013 www.style.com 15. Givenchy SS2014 http://citizenchic.blogspot.fr16. Craig Green AW2013 http://craig-green.com

17. Scott James SS2013 www.trendhunter.com18. Absolut vodka no label http://theinspirationroom.com19. Vuitton’s logo free ad for China http://luxurylaunches.com20. Share a Coke www.thedieline.com21. Selfridge’s No Noise project www.freshnessmag.com22. Makers : The New Industrial Revolution Chris Anderson www.gchicco.com23. Commodity www.kickstarter.com/24. hugh MacLeod http://gapingvoid.com/25. Peaches Geldof’s O.TO. (Ordo Templi Orientis) tattoo https://twitter.com/26. Puma Shadow Society www.puma.com27. Beyoncé at the 2013 Super Bowl http://music.yahoo.com28. Alt J http://www.altj.fr29. Fauve http://inthemorningmag.com30. Peter Saville x Lacoste www.dezeen.com31. Lacoste no logo http://tushmagazine.com/32. McDonald’s logo-free add, France, summer 2013 http://www.cbnews.fr