Re-branding – not done in two days!

Image from Margate Civic Society

Is it just me or is this 2009 series of The Apprentice dragging somewhat? I do not seem to have the same interest in the outcome as I did during the previous three series.

The most recent task was to re-brand the seaside town of Margate. One team (Ignite) opted for marketing Margate to families – safe but uninspiring.

The other team (Empire) worked on the re-invention of Margate as a gay resort to rival Brighton.

In the event, the latter idea failed not through prejudice but through extremely poor execution of the marketing materials, namely posters and a leaflet, due to running out of time.

Ignite won with a predictable approach yet Empire’s route was so much more innovative.

Good branding (or re-branding) takes time – it cannot be done in two days – and involves so much more than just a single image, a few good photos and a few posters!

Sometimes clients do not understand the difference between the design of a single image (logo) and all the research behind the creation of a brand or a re-brand. This Apprentice task proves the point.

Of course, designers and marketers do not always get it right – remember Consignia?

But any good agency will include sufficient resources in the budget to do thorough research and to ensure their (great) ideas are beautifully presented.

Time maybe money but two days is not enough for a re-brand! Margate deserved better!