The iconic tiny red, white and black ladybird has adorned the covers of the books our parents read, that we read as children and now the books we read to our children. With over 100-year history the familiar tiny red, white and black figure has brought joy to families across the globe, encouraging children to learn to read and experience the joy of both fictional tales and non-fiction facts. Very little has changed about the way in which the books are enjoyed and the same could be said about the logo itself.
In the last centenary the ladybird logo is one that has endured. There have been tweaks and modernisations over the years, but very few and always considerate of the brands heritage. With the weight of history behind it, how do you re-brand such a loved brand for a new generation of book worms? The answer, simply, that you leave the logo alone.
It is important when considering a re-brand to look at your brand as a whole and remember that the logo itself forms only a part of it. In Ladybird’s case, the logo still has relevance today, it represents the nostalgia of the brand but isn’t so desperately out of touch that it cannot successfully be used in the digital world or appears to have lost its identity in print. On books the ladybird logo still packs a punch, it is instantly recognisable and is sought after by parents and grandparents seeking the joy they found in books for their children.
Rather than changing a logo the brand team have worked around the logo, re-writing the brand guidelines by considering what the brand represents and how they want it to be perceived by the current generation of readers, particularly across digital media. The update to the brand has instead come from the fonts and the colours used to market and celebrate the brand, ensuring that it has a bright and playful appeal for young children.
The result is a brand which has retained its heritage and can still be recognised by past generations of ladybird book readers whilst also appealing to a digitally savvy generation of new readers whose world is vibrant and animated.
Imagery from Creative Review