AlinaWheeler-DesigningBrandIdentity

Process and strategy: In 2005, the Russianmobile communications market was approachingsaturation, especially in Moscow. The principalplayers were competing for the leading position inthe market and there was no clear point of differentiationbetween them. The competitive auditrevealed that marketing and branding in themobile communications sector was focusedmostly on technology rather than people. WolffOlins was engaged to create a new brand identitythat would build an emotional bond withconsumers in order to retain loyalty. The otherprerequisite for the new brand was to provide anoutward-looking, more modern face that wouldhelp the company prepare for regional and internationalexpansion. The competitive audit alsorevealed that the market in general was clutteredand noisy. The opportunity for Wolff Olins wasclear—create a brand that could stand out and cutthrough the noise. The brand team worked closelywith Beeline’s marketing team in Moscow todeliver a brand that was bold and that deliveredmaximum impact.Creative solution: Inspired by the company’sstrategy, Wolff Olins developed a workingplatform to focus the work. “Beeline inspires meto live life to the fullest” was the idea used to driveall aspects of the creative work visually andtonally. The solution was not just a logo but acomplete and coherent language that was flexibleand universal, that captured the imagination ofdifferent audiences across Russia and thattranscended cultural and social barriers. Visually,it was an invitation to see life with imagination,illustrated by the use of black and yellow stripes inan individual and ownable way. The new tagline,“Live on the bright side”, informed the tone for thenew brand’s personality. Brightness, friendliness,simplicity, and positive emotions would be thenew attributes the revitalized brand wouldembrace. A new brand identity system, communicationsstyle guidelines, and an image library werecreated to get the company ready for the launch.Wolff Olins was also commissioned to create thelaunch campaign.Results: The new brand had a big impact in themarket and the business. By the end of 2005,revenues at Beeline were up by 40%, marketcapitalization had also increased by 28% andARPU (average revenue per user) was up by 7%.Since relaunching the brand, Beeline hasindependently been ranked as the most valuablebrand in Russia for four consecutive years. Duringthis time the company has expanded its operationsto neighboring countries such asKazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Tajikistan,Georgia, and Armenia, as well as countries furtherafield as Cambodia. Beeline has also extended itsproduct portfolio from mobile to data, fixed line,and mobile TV services.207