Supermarkets shop with Allen International logos

Allen International has scooped two supermarket brand identity projects, each worth five-figure sums, in Spain and Norway, which go live next year.

Allen has this week finalised initial design concepts for Spanish supermarket Consum. It is undertaking a ‘holistic’ review of all aspects of Consum’s identity.

The consultancy is also looking at Consum’s logo itself, which will be ‘evolved’ slightly, says Allen creative director Aubrey Ghose.

‘There is considerable equity in the Consum brand, particularly in northern Spain. It needs a familiar tone of voice to cut through Spain’s visually noisy supermarket sector,’ he adds.

Concepts will be unveiled in January and pilot stores are scheduled to open at five Spanish cities in the summer. Consum, owned by Grupo Eroski, has about 700 stores nationwide.

‘We are looking to establish a “tone of voice” for Consum, which will distinguish it in the Spanish marketplace,’ Ghose says. Allen won the work after a credentials pitch in November.

Norwegian supermarket chain Rimi has appointed Allen to undertake a radical repositioning of its brand, including its identity, communications, store design and own-brand packaging.

‘To signal Rimi’s change of market position to the consumer, we are introducing a completely new identity,’ says Ghose.

Allen is developing a pilot store in Oslo, which will test merchandise and undertake staff training, followed by trials of communications material and individual departments in a separate store in March next year.

The entire work is scheduled to go live in May, if the pilots are successful, across Rimi’s nationwide chain of 600 stores.

Allen won the work after a paid, creative pitch against unnamed local consultancies.