Pick ‘n Pay rebrand
Another rebrand was launched to the press this morning, and this time it's the turn of one of South Africa's oldest, most recognizable and best loved brands: Pick 'n Pay.
I picked this up via BizCommunity who were the first to break the story as it was happening! Via 'Fresh new look for iconic Pick n Pay brand':
One of South Africa's oldest and best loved brands announced a total brand transformation - from new logo and colours, to in-store signage, uniforms, new brand lines, new media and advertising - in a dramatic visual feast of new signage and brand elements at its head office in Cape Town. In fact, the entire new brand essence has been driven by its customers, as is evidenced in the new brand line: 'Inspired by You'.
The logo has been updated using a single font: Cachet [modified slightly, I see], the black has been dropped and the elegant dark blue of 'Pick' and the warmer now cherry red of 'Pay' also includes colour block frames around the P's. The apostrophe before the 'n' has also been dropped.
Currently celebrating their 40th birthday, this is the first brand change they've made in their history, and as the country's largest supermarket chain, is also one of the largest brand changes in South Africa to date. Some other interesting tidbits:
- The entire rebranding/repackaging exercise will cost in the region of R110 million.
- Within two years all 452 of PnP's stores will be transformed.
- In a move designed to strengthen its position in the LSM 8-10 market, the company will also be launching over 450 new and repackaged lines in its "Fresh" range, followed quickly by a range of more than 50 organic products to complement its organics range, which in the last financial year grew some 60%.
- Global brand agency Landor & Associates's UK office were referred the job by Y&R South Africa, PnP's advertising agency. Both Landor and Y&R are owned by marketing conglomerate WPP.
- Already one of SA's most significant advertisers, PnP will increase its spend on electronic media in a bid to enhance and consolidate its reach. [Their web presence could do with some attention]
- According to Nielsen, PnP spends R420m on advertising.
- As part of their strategic realignment process, PnP "listened to nearly 4,000 customers in a large-scale research and consultation exercise" in an effort to become more customer-centric.
Along with their great coverage of this rebrand, BizCommunity are also running a poll: What do you think of the new Pick n Pay logo?
Majority of the user comments are against it, but I've picked a couple that stood out from the general noise, and which I also happen to agree with...
Megan Craig, Strategic Director of Joom, a multi-talented Cape Town design studio:
It's pretty good and hits a couple of good notes, but misses the opportunity to be truly great. In my opinion, moving from a serif font was a good way to feel more contemporary and current, and the new logo references the old one enough to give as smooth a transition as possible. My only real concern is the dark blue as it takes away the freshness of the pink. I'm thinking in terms of the in-store experience and wondering if a more vibrant colour wouldn't have helped convey freshness and energy. I suspect what happened here is that they were trying to stay close to the old palette, and I think it held them back.
The lamentable death of the apostrophe
This was one of the few brands that had actually maintained some version of correct English. Yes, I know that 'n is not great, but it's still better than the n without an apostrophe. Pick EN Pay. Ugh. Not to mention the building block capitals. I agree - looks like an inhouse job.
If you're going to design a new corp id based on the inspiration of the SA market, then get some South Africans to design it. Pick and pay now looks like a small website design studio based in Sea Point (Today is about strengthening our heartland. Er, what?). I would have also prepared the public a bit more for the blow - the food packaging looks a lot better than the original white and blue - but it's going to get lost on the shelf - all those years of getting accustomed the white version has just been wasted. So much for: watch out Woolies, here comes Pick 'n Pay, oh, wait, Pick n Pay. But anyway, what the hell do we know?
A comment by Timeless:
The old logo was 20 or 30yrs out of date. The new logo is 10yrs out of date. You only have to look at the work of Joe Fino to see how logos can be designed to be timeless. All Landor has done is taken an eccentrically badly designed logo (that shouldn't have been made in the first place) and turned it into a bland 80s corporate design.
The in-store experience reminds me Russia in the 70s, with their harsh lighting and dated design. The new colour choice and rebranding will not help addressing this issue, being too harsh and primary.
Lastly, the typeface choice says "Facebook meets a petrol station meets a techno house party flyer meets bland".
Average, could do better! Where is the family feel, the trusted supermarket? At least it conveys cheap prices!
And lastly, by unknown:
Can anyone explain the reasoning behing Y&R S.A referring Pick'nPay to Landor UK?? I want to cry! This really tears up the heart and soul of every proudly south african designer out there. I really would like to be informed as to why this was done in the UK? It is so so so disappointing. Anyone out there studying design - this is what you have to look forward to. A slap in the face of every South African designer working hard and making our brands beautiful and one of our biggest retailers go to the UK for a revamp.
Im sure the designers who put this lard together havent a clue what Pick 'n Pay is. Probably took them a week and charged a fortune. Who made the call to have this done in the UK!? Its sucks so much! Makes me so sad as a designer to see this happen. Its really disappointing. How on earth can they be making this public? I am truly embarrassed to be a South African in London right now. Whoever made the call to have this done in the UK -you have disapponted South Africa. How can we be proudly South African when you have no faith in local talent and hard work?
I'm also very disappointed that this job wasn't kept within the local design community, given the wealth of talent we have. And to think PnP won the 2004 Proudly South African Retailer of the Year award! What a joke.
The missing tittle of the "i" in "Pick" really bothers me. I'm indifferent to the rest of it - time will tell if the colours were the correct choice. It's also difficult to call judgement when looking at such small and poor-quality visuals, taken out of context.
And I feel the new brand line "Inspired by you" is a gimmicky attempt at making customers feel that they share some kind of emotional relationship with their supermarket. It's stupidly contrived, and it doesn't work for Standard Bank either.
As a regular PnP customer, it will be very interesting to see how these changes play out over the next few years.
More reading here:
- Pick 'n Pay revamps to regain market share (Reuters)
- Pick 'n Pay in R110M major brand, product change and innovation (BizCommunity)
- Pick 'n Pay to change its brand (iafrica.com)
- Pick n Pay takes on Woolies and all comers (Moneyweb)
UPDATE [13/11]: Maybe PnP should have looked to the future and changed their name after all. I stumbled on this today by pure coincidence and had a good chuckle at the similarities:
- leave a comment
15 Comments
Another comment worth sharing:
I hope they factored in a rejection fee? by thort
In all seriousness, I think it’s reasonable. There is more than likely a motive behind their decisions, and right now, we’re only seeing a logo – Brands are far bigger than that.
I do however think their decision to take such a big account abroad as apposed to investing in South Africa’s own flourishing creative industry is disappointing move on Pick n Pay’s part – and as a result, reflects their true commitment to the country which made them what they are. It’s a classic case of – please buy from us …but we aren’t going to buy from you. It’s an economic principle that will cost them in the long run.
So that said, bring on the foreign competitors – If change is the order of the day, and globalization the entrée, I’d like a different menu thanks!
Low content post: They’re going to get tired of that cherry/red/pink pretty quickly.
I love the new logo. It was about time.
Why is it so difficult to locate a customer care line on the net? Your packaging is great,
but I am ver disappointes in the yoghurt that I bought. The one is “Smooth Vanilla
Flavoured”, whic is fine as I like vanilla flavour. The other one is labelled “Stewed Fruit
and Custard” yoghurt. Have you tasted this product?!. It certainly does NOT taste of
stewed fruit an Custard – in fact there was no fruit in the yoghurt at all. Guess what it
looked and tasted like? – that’s right Vanilla flavoured yoghurt.
A big thumbs down to Pick “Pay for ripping your customers off like this.
Very disappointed customer.
Joan Bailie
Hi Joan – I think the contact information you’re looking for is over here (at http://www.picknpay.co.za). Sorry to hear about your yoghurt.
i just want to know how can we apply for a sponsor
I too bought the stewed fruit yogurt and must admit it did not taste much like stew. Also, while we’re on the topic of produce, why doesn’t your Gardens branch ever have any fresh basil?
Hi,
I would like to complain about the traffic problems your newly re-opened Claremont store has caused. Our offices are near the intersection, and we have had to put up with crazy traffic, and people constantly hooting and swearing outside our offices. I realise you have done lots of promotion of your specials, but it would be nice if you would consider the impact of your actions before you take them.
Thanks.
@arbitraryuser: our recent customer research at the Gardens Centre branch has revealed a very small demand for basil. Perhaps you could try the Woolworths upstairs. While you’re there try their stewed fruit yogurt, it’s awesome. We buy there all the time.
@Darb: We are Pick n Pay, we own Claremont! Go cry us a river.
To whom it may concern,
I would like to complain about the traffic lights that were erected in Rosmead Avenue at the entrance to the new Pick ‘n’ Pay* headquarters at the Kenilworth Raceourse (as to why the headquarters were reloacted to a den of iniquity is a topic I’m not sure I even wish to contemplate further).
Anyway, the traffic lights. They’re always red. It forces me to stop my car when I’m trying to zip past on my way to the office of Home Affairs in Wynberg, which, by the way, doesn’t have traffic lights. Not only does this cause wear and tear on my brakes (and is Pick ‘n’ Pay* going to pay for that?!? I think not!), but it results in me losing approximately 37 seconds of my life in a very uncomfortable wait stasis, sometimes even next to a taxi.
Are the lights always red so that high-ranking Pick ‘n’ Pay employees can escape the corporate cubicles more easily? I mean, after a half-day’s hard work…
Unfortunately the Wynberg office of Home Affairs is the closest one to my house, otherwise I would never use Rosmead Avenue again! Thank you, Pick ‘n’ Pay*, for making my twice-a-decade driving experience TOTALLY unpleasant!
*I refuse to relent.
joh u guys rocks i wanna join u
Nice article. Love the comments! ;-)
To whom it may concern:
I am writing this complaint in regards to your Cinnammon Rolls. I live in Middelburg, Mapumalanga and was shopping here at the Middelburg PnP and was vary excited to read in your Fresh Living Magazine about the bakery introducing Cinnamon Rolls. I love Cinnamon Rolls. So I purchased 6 of your Cinnamon Rolls at the PnP Bakery!! Boy, was I disappointed ! Are you sure that you have the correct receipe on how a cinnamon Roll is suppose to taste and feel like? Cause the ones that I had purchased tasted like cinnamon bread and the texture was that of a blob of white bread.. Could You explain to me why? As a Cinnomon Roll is very chewy and you can actually unpeel the layers and is oozing in goo!!! Does your Bakers need to take lessons??? I am very upset!! And, it was an expensive lesson, as to never buy Cinnamon Rolls from your bakery…
[...] n Pay’s crebrand in 2007 saw a total brand transformation, complete with new logo and colours; in-store signage; [...]
Leave a Comment
Your e-mail address is required, but will not be published.
13 November 2007
Rashiq10:04 am
When something works, don’t change it. That logo makes Pick ‘n Pay seem cheap and very Wallmart-ish. Its sort of smaller than the old logo and so predictable. What a failure. Then again so was the London 2012 logo.