Borders
Identity
Visual Systems
Analytics
Inside Borders
Borders Group is a publicly held Fortune 500 company with more than 1,200 Borders and Waldenbook stores around the world. Borders mission of being the best loved provider of books, music, movies and other entertainment is what drives its over 32,000 employees.
Challenges
Corporate brand and in store brand presentation lacked consistency
Two names and multiple logos were used for the parent
Communications lacked the warmth and passion for the business evident within the organization
Merchandizing within the store had no common look or feel. The use of several logos and numerous sub-brands with their own visual identities added to the clutter and noise level within the stores
Actions
Developed a positioning statement that defined the brand as the most inviting place to explore and discover books, music, movies and more
Formalized the informal, by leveraging the warm, engaging and personable personality of the Borders staff and shopping environment
Designed bold colorful visual merchandising system and in store graphics
Updated the Borders visual identity increasing visual impact on exterior signage, and promotional materials
Stratified the visual messaging to orientate and engage Borders customers
Designed an engaging online guideline that gives Borders in-house creative team all the tools they need to express the spirit of the Borders brand
Recommended the parent be referred to as Borders Group with a shared Borders logotype (with the modifier Group)
Demonstrated how communication could be simplified with the use of descriptive language or a family of icons rather than proprietary sub-brand names and visual identities for non-showcase offerings