Wally Olins and Circle give Bain ‘serious’ makeover

Wally Olins and Circle have collaborated on a six-figure rebrand of Bain & Company, which is rolled out to 27 offices around the world from this week, as the management consultant moves to articulate its brand credentials.

Olins helped the company to define its brand vision, while Circle has created the ‘brand book’, which visualises its ‘answer first philosophy’ and created identity, literature, environmental and on-line applications. Circle has also redesigned Bain’s London office and set the parameters for other revamps.

The consultancy, which has been working on the project for two years, was awarded the business after a two-way pitch.

According to Circle director Charles Longbottom, the group had been working with Olins on a brief for Bain in London, but the head office team in Boston decided to expand the remit. The company website – www.bain.com – is expected to go live in the second half of this year.

The revamp develops the Bain red as a ‘signal colour’ in contrast to the combination of colours or palettes often used by competitors, says Longbottom. A black and white, reportage-style image library, shot by Magnum photographer Paul Lowe, builds on this ‘understated, but subtle’ approach.

Professional services firms like Bain and its main rival McKinsey & Co have to communicate in the same way as their clients, Longbottom adds, demonstrating that they ‘take brands seriously’. The single-colour style suggests the company is a ‘professional, not media-led consultancy’, he says.

A ‘true north’ symbol is another element of the identity, which will be ‘used randomly for endorsement and intrigue’, Longbottom explains. ‘It’s the set of values they live by. They get right to the point and don’t beat about the bush.’

Longbottom led the brand and graphics aspects of the project, while fellow director Rob Onion is responsible for the interiors.