Sensis Agency
Sensis Working Overtime
Focus Multimedia, founded in 1998, was a fast-growing online advertising agency, whose 20th century moniker had become superannuated. They first approached Colorola to create a new logo design, using only the initials, FM, thus disposing of the rather dated ‘multimedia’ component. After presenting the first round of logotype directions, it became evident that the streamlined ‘FM’ icon begged the question: ‘what does it stand for?’ Colorola suggested a complete overhaul of the brand. We worked closely with FM’s creative group to refine the agency’s core values, positioning, and new name. After extensive market research, we presented 7 distinct directions, each a unique expression of the brand’s attributes.
(re)Name Brand. Phase 2
After extensive deliberation (and a serious flirtation with ‘Tactico’), a consensus was reached (ish): Sensis. Of course, there was some legitimate concern about the ‘bureau’ element. Was it potentially confusing, implying some sort of research service? Was it potentially taboo for libertarian-type clients? And most consequentially, was it a pun that would become tiresome after awhile (as most puns do)? So the decision was made to go with ‘Sensis’, with the peripheral title being, ‘Sensis Agency’. (‘Sensis’ as a url had been taken by a defense radar contractor.) So the project sifted from naming, to designing the new Sensis logo. Back to the drawing board, where we compiled just over a dozen different schematics.
(re)Name Brand. Phase 3
The challenge of this phase proved formidable, even more so than the naming process. Nearly all the creatives at Sensis (calling it what it is now) preferred a different direction– too much of a good thing? We were finally able to narrow the selection to a final 3. At this stage, Colorola positioned the 3 finalists in a variety of contexts, or typical conditions, to see how the identities would function in the real world, and how they would measure up to each other.
A decision finally had to be made, and the direction entitled, ‘Olympic’, was chosen because of it’s clean intelligibility, and it’s visually tangible depiction of ‘connectivity’.
