Four shades of blue
Thanks to color and design, PostNord is set to become friendlier, warmer, and more personal. Maria Korban and her Norwegian marketing team welcome the new design with open arms.
Why do you regard some brands as being youthful and forward looking, while others look tired and stale? The businesses might be selling exactly the same thing, but the feel you get is completely different. It's about color, design, and tone of voice.
PostNord has produced a new brand strategy and an updated brand design. The logo and the iconic blue color will stay on for recognition. Apart from that, PostNord will be presented in a new, clearer, and more consumer-focused way, with an updated visual identity. Warmer colors, new softer typefaces, modern illustrations, and rounded design elements are teamed with the tagline “We make everyday life easier”.
“The new concept highlights all the services we know consumers are interested in and makes them stand out. We especially looked at digital developments and interaction with customers. Good services shouldn’t be a secret,” says PostNord Norway's Acting Communications and Marketing Manager Maria Korban.
Maria Korban, PostNord Norway’s Acting Head of Communications and Marketing.
When the work started, PostNord first conducted thorough analyses of what driving forces consumers find essential, and of how the company is perceived, by the public and by its employees. The new strategy is the result of close co-operation between all the Nordic countries, where everyone shared the same goal: developing a concept that strengthens the brand impact.
“The new design reflects our value as a key link between people’s wishes and expectations, and their delivery,” Maria says. “It’s an identity that, like the brand, is dynamic and constantly evolving. While it simultaneously remain unique and recognizable.”
The PostNord Brand has had its ups and downs in Sweden and Denmark, while the Norwegian branch has avoided the worst storms. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any challenges:
“Our main strength in Norway has been a strong focus on developing good consumer services that make lives more efficient. Hopefully, this will make them remember us the next time they shop online. Our challenge has been that we’re a lesser-known player, and seen as a bit neutral compared to our main competitor. We’ve still got some work to do there.”
“We need to put more effort into spreading awareness of what we offer, and build preference for us in everything from paid campaigns to the app, customer service, and the website,” Maria says. “Consumers often make decisions in the space of a few seconds. Subtle and unconscious influences through design, shapes, and colors can make a difference in how they perceive their interaction with us.”
The joint project on the new profile has seen great commitment between and within the countries. Maria Korban thinks the cutting-edge expertise and experience of the Norwegian team has been invaluable:
“I think we’ve done well in preserving things that guarantee a sense of continuity and our uniqueness, so ensuring recognition,” she says. “We’re probably most satisfied with the color palette, which reflects the diversity of the company as a whole. On top of that, we’ve chosen not to be so angular, with the design taking on a rounder shape.”
The brand was launched internally in October 2020, and development will continue in 2021. But what can PostNord’s employees outside the marketing and communications departments do to consolidate the new brand strategy in the market?
“That’s an easy one to answer: Use it! Become brand ambassadors, for example, by using a new, proper presentation template, and finding your favorite background when you’re in Teams meetings with others. The response has already been incredibly positive, and we know that competitors are keeping a close eye on us. That’s always a good sign.”
At the customer center in Oslo, Sam Elmi presents an example of the new design that’s going to be a real boost for the PostNord brand.
Maria Mossestad with some of PostNord’s colors. Coral red is totally new.
From the left: Jessica Blåfjell, Victoria Rummelhoff, Sofie Skadal, Theodor Nelson, Maria Korban, Trine Sand, and Henriette Gedde Linna. Not pictured: Haakon Nikolai Olsen.