Communicate magazine - Kristian Mills

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Brand Architecture

Kristian Mills

Head of Brand Governance & Standards

The Co-operative Group

21st October, 2010

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We have over 5,000 outlets across the UK

and 120,000 employees and have been

serving Britain for over 165 years

2009 Performance

Group sales of £13.7bn, up 31%

Group operating profit of £473m, up 20%

Brand value of £2.88bn

Third successive year of double digit growth

in Group sales and profits

The Co-operative Group

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The Co-operative Group

2009 Highlights

Acquisition of Somerfield to become the UK’s fifth largest food retailer

Merger with Britannia Building society to become the UK’s first super mutual

Launch of the largest marketing campaign in the Group’s history

Over 1,000 branches rebranded bringing the total rebranded to 3,600 branches

£11.3m invested in communities

£6.7m raised for charity

Responsible Retailer of the year for the third year running

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Why are we doing this?

Our objective was set out by the

Co-operative Commission in 2001 –

‘to develop a common national branding

approach for the Co-operative Movement’

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Why do we need a new brand?

• In 2000, there were over 7 million households trading with Co-operative businesses. But they tended to trade with just one of our businesses. We want them to trade with more of our businesses.

• A new brand will give a consistent identity across all our businesses making them identifiable as a part of the co-operative family. The links between the individual businesses will then become more obvious.

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To shift public perception

• From “dusty” and “tired” to an innovative, modern, forward-thinking organisation

“A bit dusty…closing down…struggling as a business”

“A bit Grace Brothers, in a time-warp”

“Lost its way”

Quotations from consumer research conducted in 2004

• When people know what we do the find it highly motivating• The first supermarket to use 100% degradable carrier bags

• The bank that has turned down over £1bn of business on ethical grounds.

• Founded over 165 years ago

• Owned by our members

“Why on earth didn’t you tell us this before?”

Quotation from consumer research conducted in 2004

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Numerous logos

The cloverleaf has only been around in use for around 40 years and we don’t

even always use it

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To strengthen customer recognition

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Brand identity

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Brand identity

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Brand identity

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Unified brand - family of businesses

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Brand media campaigns

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Social Goals Campaigns

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The Co-operative membership

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