Image from Stanley

Facing fierce competition, Stanley was keen to revamp their brand and create a powerful, unified global brand idea that is relevant across markets. In addition to talking to tool masters and workmen, semiotics was chosen to tap into the hidden potential of the legacy brand.

Semioticians from 7 countries - China, UK, US, France, India, Brazil and Mexico were brought together by Charise Mita. This veritable semiotic dream team collaborated throughout 2 weeks time. We covered a wide range of areas, including rich analysis of logos & taglines, communication visuals & verbal language codes, tensions and oppositions as well as an archaeological study of brand. Given that everyone's background is different (yes, we have the Peirceans watching the Saussureans, as well as an anthropologist pretending to be semiotician), we arrived at some pretty odd but exciting findings, for example how the incomplete 'N' in the logo teases the brain work a little, thus giving the logo an extra level of novelty, or how Bosch cleverly featured their tools as rulers in the dystopian world to stay ahead of 'time' literally.

The project provoked the client to see their own brand differently and unlocked potentials as well as uncovered issues regarding the individual countries and the globe as a whole. Next time when you shop for tools, do check out Stanley and contemplate the 'N'!

In collaboration with Charise Mita