Dylan Griffith of Smörgåsbord Talks National Branding
It's hard enough to solve the problem of rebranding a large company with loads of existing brand equity and emotional associations. So imagine doing this for a country with centuries of cultural history and a language and heritage all its own, representing millions of people who have much more than a financial stake in the brand.
Smörgåsbord, a branding firm headquartered jointly in Cardiff and Amsterdam, recently took on the challenge of refreshing a visual identity for the Welsh government. The new brand is implemented across multiple sectors, including everything from tourism and transportation to official government business applications. This presents a huge challenge of versatility, and I'm particularly excited by how this problem was addressed typographically. (Although the infographic treatments are pretty exciting, too.) Smörgåsbord created a bespoke typeface to accompany the brand, Cymru Sans, which provides blessed relief from the tired, American Uncial treatment we've become so accustomed to seeing in Irish Pubs and all other manner of places attempting to tout Celtic heritage. I mean, look at that double-d ligature!
Dylan Griffith is a Creative Director with Smörgåsbord. You can watch his presentation on the rebranding of Wales here.
Also check out the case study on Smörgåsbord's own lovely website.
