Heard It Through the GripeVine: Our New Abnormal
Why Do A Brand Refresh?
A brand refresh is often seen as an opportunity for the brand, and the company behind it, to signify to its consumers and the general public that they are evolving and being responsive to their customers. Even when the brand is fundamentally strong, a refresh can subtly herald the start of a new era, or a reimagining of the brand’s look and feel. What a brand refresh often does not touch is the brand’s essential DNA, or it’s market position. And while often seen as ‘cosmetic’ in nature, don’t underestimate the move; as it’s a bold signal that the company is not tied down to what got them there, but that it’s charting a bold, new course for the future.
The brand refresh is often primarily visual in nature, and the mistake often made is when the change is so drastic that the regular clientele get disoriented and/or confused. And that’s why I liked how SM embarked on their brand refresh journey - it fully respected the provenance and legacy, while acknowledging the need to address Tomorrow. In other words, it was both fresh, and yet familiar.
The latest SM brand refresh makes the brand more vibrant; and more recognizable, especially in the digital space. The globally renowned design studio Pentagram was SM’s partner in creating the refresh - and their portfolio spans five decades, across several industries, including clients such as Tiffany & Co., Rolls Royce, the Sundance Film Festival, and FIFA. The process took several months, with the new brand rolled out earlier this year.
The letters SM are now written in their bespoke brand typeface that’s referred to as Henry Sans; named after SM’s founder, Henry Sy, Sr. The unifying color is what SM calls the SM Electric Blue - young and energetic, while still friendly and approachable. More than lines or sharp edges, it’s now about soft curves and clear identification.
In her speech at the National Retail Association Conference & Expo, Cathy S. Ileto, VP-Corporate Communications, SM Retail Inc., spoke about this brand refresh journey; “SM… has met the challenge of recent years with foresight and enthusiasm as we stay true to our core - delivering service with a smile. The Shoemart from six decades ago and the SM that everyone knows today, share the same quality of service that their patrons recognize.”
“Every SM is a melting pot of people from all walks of life. We serve millions everyday, making SM a brand that matters. We have become an important part of the lives of millions of Filipinos. We owe it to them to continuously deliver the best quality of service…. Through the clutter of choices and the digital evolution, we remain hand in hand with our customers in providing them the service that goes beyond the exchange of money and products.”
To ensure that SM visually resonates across generations, and through their omi-channel strategy, the brand refresh makes perfect sense. With the average Filipino spending up to 40% of their waking life on the internet, SM was aware that they needed to up their presence online. As Cathy further expounded, “Digital from word of mouth is now the way to go, and we can only maximize that if we have top notch visuals to showcase.”
What’s wonderful to note is how the brand refresh seamlessly applies itself to the Sustainability programs that SM has made intrinsic to it’s current DNA. The #SMGreenMovement is a running multi-year campaign that aims to make Sustainability accessible to all by nurturing an eco-system of stakeholders that are empowered to Live Green in the easiest way possible. The three main pillars of the Movement are SM Green Planet, SM Green Culture, and SM Green Living.
To promote Green Living, SM Retail launched their SM Green Finds initiative - making green living easier for the customers by working with suppliers to offer products that are eco-friendly, made from natural ingredients, and support local communities. You’ll find the inventive displays of Green Finds at your favorite SM Store, and will immediately appreciate how the initiative works in making regular customers more conscious of the everyday choices they make - while debunking one of the prevailing perceptions that to Live Green is costly or more expensive.
For SM, the big idea driving it’s Green Movement is that it will inspire people to change their lifestyles for a better future and for a greener home. SM is making it their responsibility to help show the path, and make it one that’s easy to traverse and adapt. For SM, it’s not about them, but about us - all of us. It is our only planet; and if not now, then when?
If this is one aspect of the future course that the SM brand refresh is signifying, I can only say Thank You SM, and with them success.