John Lewis calls in Pentagram

John Lewis Partnership is to refresh its identity after it was confirmed last week that London design consultancy Pentagram has been appointed to conduct an audit of the department store group’s image.

The design consultancy is looking at everything, from the logo and signage, to packaging, stationery and the signature green colour scheme.

The decision by JLP to review its image comes after the department store giant announced in September an on-going £300m makeover of the 25-strong chain, prompted by the need for a consistent corporate image. The first to be rebranded was John Lewis’ Tyrrell & Green store, now called John Lewis Southampton.

Ann Humphries, director of retail development at JLP, says the group does not envisage a major change to its brand identity, rather a “fresh look from a fresh pair of eyes”.

“It’s important to keep up to date and be contemporary,” she explains. “We have seen a big expansion over the past two or three years and now is the right time to look at our image.”

“But we don’t want to throw out the baby with the bathwater,” she adds. “Our ethos is important to us. We have a strong image and concentration on service and value is our priority.”

The first store to benefit from any new design work is expected to be John Lewis Solihull, which opens its doors in autumn next year. It cannot, however, be confirmed how many existing stores will be included in the roll-out of the new designs.