Graphic Design That Works

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D

ESIGN

F

IRM

:

Weymouth Design

A

RT

D

IRECTOR

:

Tom Laidlaw

D

ESIGNERS

:

Brad Lewthwait

W

EB

S

ITE

D

ESIGNER

:

Chris Geiser

P

HOTOGRAPHER

:

Michael Weymouth

C

LIENT

:

Bradford Soap

Works, Inc.

Bradford Soap Works:

An Identity That Comes Clean

The Process

The Bradford Soap Works, Inc. head-

quartered in Providence, Rhode Island,

and in Chester, England, approached

Boston’s Weymouth Design for a new

look. Its identity was suffering from a

dismal lack of distinction. Marketing

materials proclaimed that the original

Bradford Soap Works provided “excel-

lence in soapmaking since 1876,” but the

look that message was getting drowned

out by an old, musty image.

“The old identity was dated and didn’t

appeal to the upscale audience that

makes up Bradford’s market,” says Tom

Laidlaw, art director, citing his client’s

original logo that featured a capital

B

in

a stylized circle alongside the company

name, Bradford, which was also repro-

duced in capital letters. “We needed to

appeal to a more fashion-savvy audi-

ence [accustomed] to the Body Shop

and other designer label distributors.”

Bradford Soap Works is a specialty

soapmaker that manufactures soaps for

retail stores to sell. Consequently, it

needed an identity that would not only

win over consumers, but retailers who

are very discriminating about sacrificing

their precious shelf and floor space.

With that in mind, Weymouth Design

set about the job of updating Bradford’s

logo. The capital

B

was prominent in the

original logo, so they retained that con-

cept, but gave it a complete overhaul by

filling the letter

B

with orange dots, not

unlike the shape of Bradford’s many

soaps, for an abstract effect. It is coupled

with the company name, which was

reset in a more contemporary typeface.

Graphic Design That Works

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In retrospect, designers say that this logo is the single most important element in

the identity as they used it as a major design element on a number of pieces that

they created. For instance, when designers tackled the company’s information folder,

gone was the pen-and-ink illustration of Bradford’s Rhode Island headquarters from

the old identity. This was replaced with the new logo. The same approach was taken

with the business card. Interestingly, designers set the

B

apart from contact informa-

tion on the letterhead, mailing label, and large and small envelopes, which gives the

icon even more impact and stand-alone strength.

Next, Weymouth translated the identity to the company’s product—engraving the

name Bradford on its soaps using the new type style. Designers suggested that

Bradford send out sample packages of soaps and designed a black mailing carton

for the job and wrapped in soap in specially designed tissue paper.

LEFT: The original folder

featured the Bradford logo

below a pen-and-ink illustra-

tion of its Rhode Island

headquarters, a look that

definitely dated the materi-

als, making the company

look stodgy and behind the

times instead of the quality

soapmaker that it was.

ABOVE: The single most

important element of the

redesign, according to

designers, was the new

logo—which is a capital

B

, in keeping with the old

identity, but this time,

it is contemporary and

abstract, filled with orange

dots that mirror the shape

of Bradford’s product.

LEFT: This invitation to a

New York trade show invited

prospects to see what’s new

at the Bradford Soap Works.

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ABOVE AND RIGHT: A sam-

pling of Bradford’s variety

of soaps was sent out to

prospective retailers in a

sturdy, yet elegant, black

box. Soaps were wrapped

in custom-designed tissue

and the Bradford name

was engraved in the soaps

in its new typestyle.

LEFT: The newly designed

brochure promotes what

Bradford does best—make

beautiful high-quality,

fragrant soaps. Its products

are featured on the brochure

cover and in colorful interior

spreads where minimal

copy communicates that

the science that goes into

soap-making results in art,

passion, and perfection.

Designers also updated the company’s brochure, creating a very clean cover

using a photo of four different Bradford soaps against a clean, white back-

ground. Interior spreads are vibrant and show off what the company does

best—provide excellence in soapmaking. The copy discussed how the science of

soapmaking translates to art, passion, and perfection—the perfect message for

an upscale retail audience who isn’t interested so much in buying the soaps to

get clean as they are for their beauty and fragrance.

Anticipating plenty of retail sales, Weymouth also created point-of-purchase

materials including a bag with coordinating tissue, which repeats the dot pat-

tern of the logo along with a series of posters that replay the theme of “science

equals art, passion, and perfection.”

Rounding out the identity makeover was a new Web site, www.bradfordsoap.com,

advertisements, direct mail, a video, and a press campaign. Regardless of the

application, the graphics associated with the identity are all in line with the

upscale feeling of the logo.

“The clean and simple graphics stand out in a world of clutter and uninspired

imagery,” says Laidlaw. “The company’s market is high-end cosmetic manufac-

turers. The identity needed to be high end as well.”

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