Very was launched in 2009, evolving from its origins as the Littlewoods catalogue and shifting its focus to online retailing to appeal to families. More recently, research informed us that Very — whilst behaving as a retailer for all — was still perceived as a female-focussed fashion brand. Our brief was to widen the attraction of Very to appeal to a broader, more digitally savvy audience whilst retaining elements that are loved.
The Very Group has also taken the opportunity to rebrand Littlewoods Ireland to the newly refreshed Very. Broadening the Very brand to an entirely new audience.
We began by distilling the current identity down to its purest form, the outcome was the iconic pink square. This much loved element has formed the basis of the Very BrandWorld moving forward, creating a coherent set of principles the online retailer has been in need of for sometime.
Whilst the existing logo was distinctive, research told us that ‘very’ was hard to read at small sizes (not ideal for a digitally focussed online retailer) and that tonally the style of lettering was firmly associated with female fashion.
We collaborated with F37 to create a bespoke typeface, informing how everyday messaging looks but also connecting it to the newly digital and friendly Very logo, something the old brand was in need of. Very sans is full of personality, but more importantly has the pink square at its heart. The quirky letterforms have almost been drawn with a square nib. Both distinctive and effective, the typeface has been crafted in a number of weights to cater for all types of messaging, from headline to display text.
The logo type has been cleverly incorporated into the glyph set, allowing the iconic name to be used in playful messaging constructs with ease. A detail that the in-house Very design team has greatly appreciated.
We’re at a moment of opportunity and expansion for The Very Group and with that we needed to build on the strength of the current brand, as well as be truly digitally-focussed. This enhanced visual identity sets us up for an exciting future ahead.
Using Very sans allowed us to appeal to a broader audience, feel more contemporary and ultimately speak in a more ownable voice.
From TV’s to treadmills to t-shirts – Very is the home for all. The new BrandWorld required the flex to appeal to all audiences on all channels.
Another inclusion of the pink square was within our dynamic brand properties. Working with weareseventeen we created a suite of graphics that can be deployed throughout all touch points, physical and digital. The graphics provide a selection of emotions and feelings to the online shopping experience.
With such an abundance of products available, we created a number of bold and exciting graphics that are built to move, entertain and inform. Whether it’s more techy for electrical goods or more playful for kids, Very can now speak directly to all.
Pink is a key component of the Very brand. To maximise distinctiveness and expand to broader audiences we created a tonal pink palette that could be deployed throughout the Very experience. We also included a monochromatic palette that can appeal to more masculine audiences when necessary.
The culmination of the process is a fully cohesive BrandWorld that allows us to communicate effectively with audiences no matter the product, time of year or promotion.