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Why Marquee should go back to its old branding
07.14.2008Posted by: Ben
Did anyone notice that Marquee changed their brand strategy? It used to be "marquee" was the logo and "life in the mountain south" was the slogan. They decided to move "marquee" off to the side and much smaller while using a new type face and a very large "MOUNTAIN SOUTH" to front and top-center. Was this the right move? When I received a feedback form on this subject in my inbox, I knew they wanted to know.I personally like the new Mountain South logo, but really because that happens to be my favorite font. I think the previous, thin-lined logo of Marquee was really just fine, but the previous slogan seemed slightly out of place. I never really noticed the "Life in the Mountain South" before at the top of the magazine cover, but in my opinion, the brand should be presented like:
marquee
life in the Mountain South
With the Marquee being larger (the old logo) and the "slogan" going below the logo.
I am not sure what prompted the shift in branding, but almost universally, when I poll clients about the brand shift, there is a certain degree of confusion. What I think is that the "Marquee" word might have been a little odd to use in the beginning, but through hard work and solid content, that name began to have a clear identity of its own.
That brand capital has been lost significantly with the change. No one that I know refers to the magazine as Mountain South (which certainly a new reader will imagine it is called) because if they were familiar with the old magazine cover they probably never will. Perhaps it will take some time to rebuild that name recognition, but they will always be "Marquee" in the minds of readers who are not new.
In conclusion, I think they should go back to the original brand focus and continue to build on that brand — and even the Mountain South term. Just not... sluffing off Marquee to the left side and treating it like the poor stepchild of their branding strategy when it is the stalwart eldest.
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