Example of early design concept mockup for application onto test vehicles.

Background

“Action 31 of the Taxi Regulation Review Report published by the Government in January 2012 requires the installation of semi-permanent signage on the doors of taxis and wheelchair accessible taxis.” 

The NTA was tasked with the development, rollout and ongoing operation of the apparatus needed to support the mandated nationwide branding system. Following a successful tender, we were engaged to explore potential designs and propose the optimal branding solution.

Early sketch investigations of how much surface area of the vehicles to brand.

Exploring possible shapes for vehicle branding decals.

The objectives and branding criteria

These were the three most important design-related objectives. Firstly, to create a recognisable branding device that makes all licensed taxis more recognisable for customers. The branding device needed to be equally as visible and legible on both light and dark coloured vehicles. The design needed to be consistently applicable onto all of the various sizes and types of vehicles in use as taxis in Ireland. 

There were also a set of operational objectives which were equally important. The branding needed to be cost-efficient to produce, as the drivers would be paying for its installation. So, for example, we could not propose a design based on a full-vehicle wrap as this would have an adverse economic effect on these small businesses. 

Our proposed design needed to be robust, as many separate suppliers around the country would be producing and applying the decals. An overly complex design would therefore invite inconsistency in appearance and application nationwide. 

Finally, the branding decals needed to incorporate each vehicle’s unique identification number. So our design needed to accommodate this requirement in the most visually appropriate and operational effective manner. 

Testing concepts at actual size on vehicles was the only way to effectively evaluate our initial designs.

Where we added value

Given our in-depth understanding of the competing variables within the design criteria, we were able to conduct an exhaustive design exploration on an accelerated timeline. 

The key to success was ensuring that designs would meet all of the objectives. So we practiced a rapid prototyping methodology, always moving back and forth from concept sketches to actual size mockups. 

Our analytical and logical design methodology meant that we were rapidly able to define the set of design patterns that conformed to all of the set objectives and criteria.

Then we used our skills in crafting narrative presentations to produce the assets necessary to explain our design thinking and recommendations. We provided staged presentations for consideration and approval by the NTA and the regulatory committees and advisory groups.

Junior Minister Alan Kelly TD announced the national taxi vehicle branding in October 2012.

Benefits and deliverables

We prepared a suite of master digital artwork files to ensure that all Authorised Suppliers can reproduce the taxi vehicle branding accurately and consistently. We wrote concise yet comprehensive guidance documentation to ensure Authorised Suppliers have all the information they need to ensure an efficient national rollout throughout 2013. 

Official usage guidance document for Authorised Suppliers.

Background

The Nexus Innovation Centre required an online presence to launch its services.

Objectives

Nexus decided to create a microsite as an interim solution pending the launch of a fully-featured web site. The microsite needed to allow Nexus staff to easily update all content and particularly to add news stories appealing to their core audiences. The design of the microsite needed to align with the centre’s new brand identity.

Where we added value 

We mapped out the site structure and helped to rationalise and standardise all of the initial text. Then we used a powerful content management system to construct the microsite and deploy all text, photography, video and maps for the launch date.

We conducted on-site training in Limerick to ensure that key Nexus personnel were equipped to update the site with current news stories and promote new programmes and services.

Benefits

The Nexus team have enthusiastically adopted the microsite, continually adding their own unique flavour to our core structure.

Background

The University of Limerick (UL) has established a new innovation centre on the University campus to facilitate collaboration between entrepreneurs and the University, to form and grow new, mainly technology, companies. The centre has meeting rooms, shared spaces and exhibition and training spaces.

The University had a clear vision, values set and positioning requirement for the innovation centre and needed a name and brand that would work in harmony with the UL master brand. BFK were commissioned to create a name and develop a brand identity for the new centre.

Naming

The brief was to create a name that would communicate a dynamic, creative new businesses environment and to represent the process of transformation from business idea to working reality. As Innovation Centre manager Andre Deverall said, ‘interesting work is occurring at the blurring of boundaries between a variety of different disciplines’. Like all good names, it was also important that the name could be the basis of a story or narrative that would give it relevance and meaning for stakeholders.

We used the tried and tested BFK naming process based on a detailed naming plan, brainstorming with our client, filtering, analysis and availability checking to produce a shortlist of candidate names for the University’s final selection and approval.

The outcome was Nexus – a means of connection, a link, a core, a central focal point, a network or a union. Nexus maps directly to the original brief and represents the very core of the innovation centre idea.

Creative solution

Having selected the name the next phase was the design of the brand mark. The challenge was to capture successfully the essence of the the brand, the story of Nexus, into one singular mark.

After in-depth exploratory work during which we explored many creative possibilities, one particular approach quickly came to the fore. It was based on a combination of a strong visual symbol working in tandem with robust typography.

The symbol, which is the core focal point, is based on the spark of creativity which occurs at the start of a collaboration – in this instance the partnership between entrepreneurs and the Nexus Innovation Centre. It represents the germination, the formation, the burst of an idea or project. A series of colourful circles are arranged in concentric pattern, emanating and radiating outwards from one central point into an ever expanding circular shape. This circular nexus represents a creative energy, communicating a sense of expansion and momentum. At the core there is an open space which represents the unknown aspect of the process… the end result is never known until the collaboration begins. We used a rainbow of different colours throughout the strands which radiate outwards.

A strong, simple typographic style underpins the mark. The choice and placement of the type was specifically chosen to work in sympathy with the symbol and in no way dominate the mark. Both elements are positioned within a black surrounding box which contains this energy, reflecting the controlled environment in which this energy occurs.

For the flexibility needed in day-to-day use we created both horizontal and vertical lock-up versions of the brand mark. The Nexus symbol can also be used as a free-standing graphic device outside the confines of surrounding box, showing the full burst of energy.

Nexus – a strong, expressive brand, aspirational, instantly identifiable and memorable.