A Designer's Research Manual

151

Chapter Four: Case Studies

PROJECT:

Rebranding for Dublin Chamber

of Commerce

CLIENT:

Dublin Chamber of Commerce

INTENDED AUDIENCE:

members and potential members

CREDITS:

Dara Creative

ONE BANNER, MANY FACES

In order for Dara Creative to build a new brand for the Dublin Chamber of Commerce,

it needed to refl ect the chamber’s extremely diverse membership and project an

image of a vibrant, progressive, and dynamic organization. To accomplish this, Dara

Creative relied on several forms of research.

Uncovering Existing Problems

By reviewing existing

Dublin Chamber print

materials, Dara Creative

found inconsistencies

in logo usage that were

adversely affecting the

visibility and image of

the organization. This

helped strengthen the

case for a new logo

with clearly defi ned

parameters for its use. Combining a literature review with competitor analysis

laid the foundation for a focused approach.

A Helping Hand

For this project Dara Creative worked with a marketing research company

(Brand Dynamics) who sent questionnaires to staff and members of Dublin

Chamber of Commerce to identify issues with the existing brand and pinpoint

values that the new brand identity should convey. What they learned was that

chamber members saw the organization as a trustworthy business leader that

provides valuable lobbying and networking services. Moreover, those surveyed

suggested a modern brand refl ecting the Dublin Chamber’s progressive status.

“Our research was

invaluable in more

clearly identifying

the client’s needs.”

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A Designer’s Research Manual

C

In response to this input, the design team began building an uncluttered logo

that emphasized Dublin, its culture, and its history.

Shaping a Solution

Dara Creative then used Web-based research of other chambers of commerce

throughout the world to analyze the quality of their branding in comparison with that

of the Dublin Chamber. This gave the designers solid background knowledge of the

market, and identifi ed how the Dublin Chamber was positioned.

A Compelling Direction

“Our research was invaluable in more clearly identifying the client’s needs,” said

Brian Maher of Dara Creative. “The client wanted to portray the chamber’s valuable

commercial history but also its vibrancy in the present and future. It wanted to be

seen as a progressive and infl uential communicator, providing invaluable networking

and lobbying services.”

The new brand identity refl ects the city and the rich traditions of the Dublin Chamber

and its members. The brand features a castle, a spire, and a bridge. The castle,

which is situated in the heart of south Dublin city, was chosen as a representation

of the chamber’s wealth of knowledge and experience. The spire sits in the north city

and represents future progression—the key need for the new logo as identifi ed by

research fi ndings. The bridge is the uniting element, capturing the networking aspect

of the Dublin Chamber.

The initial research was a very infl uential factor in the success of the fi nal mark. “The

survey results indicated that the focus of the new brand should be on Dublin—and

hence provided a valuable starting point for the designer,” said Maher. “The brand

values indicated that the fi nal brand should be youthful and energetic—traits which

are incorporated in the fi nished product.”

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Chapter Four: Case Studies

Below

Research indicated that Dara

should place the focus of the

brand on the city of Dublin

while refl ecting a fresh, youthful

outlook. Summative review,

conducted in the form of a client

satisfaction survey, reinforced the

success of the project.

Right

Dara Creative used surveys to

better understand the client’s

needs and to inform their

redesign for the Dublin Chamber

of Commerce. The new identity

refl ects the traditions of the

organization while promoting an

energetic and forward-thinking

approach. The castle, situated

in the heart of south Dublin

city, symbolizes the Chamber’s

wealth of knowledge and

experience. The spire, situated

in the north, represents the

future. The bridge captures the

networking focus of the group.

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