Free the Birds has designed an “authoritative” identity for a COVID cleaner

Cert. is a recently-launched direct-to-consumer product that uses dissolvable tablets to create an at-home disinfectant and detergent.

Free the Birds has created the identity and packaging for new disinfectant product Cert., which has been launched in response to the pandemic.

Cert. is the first direct-to-consumer product from Hydrachem, a British cleaning company which provides disinfectant products to hospitals.

The product comprises a reusable spray bottle and dissolvable tablets. Once a tablet is added to 500ml of water, it creates a disinfectant for use around the house. The company says that this destroys the SARS-CoV-2-virus (which causes COVID-19) in 60 seconds.

It contains both detergent and disinfectant, meaning that it targets grease and grime as well as germs that exist on hard surfaces. The product has been tested by laboratories in Hamburg.


“A simple, authoratative zone of certainty”

London-based Free the Birds created the branding in three weeks. This included the name, logo, as well as designs for the packaging. A digital campaign is also going to be launched.

The studio also sourced the reuseable spray bottles, which aim to create a more sustainable production cycle as customers don’t have to buy new bottles each time. It is reminiscent of Ocean Saver, which uses cleaning pods to avoid waste.

The name has been inspired by the words “certainty” and “certified” and seeks to add a degree of trust for the product, according to the studio. This sense of reassurance is reinforced through the campaign which has phrases like “Kill doubt” and uses photos of hospital workers.

The logo is reminiscent of a now-familiar image of COVID-19, echoing the look of the virus itself. Free the Birds communications creative director Paul Domenent says that the circular design “tells the story of the product”.

The brand’s name appears in a clean circle with germ particles at the edge “representing a simple, authoritative zone of certainty”. The designer hopes that this creates a “visual demonstration of the power of Cert.”.

The branding represents a shift in the concerns of customers, Domenent adds. He says: “Since COVID, the enemy is no longer dirt — it is uncertainty — and the pandemic has focused global attention on everyday cleaning practices, elevating good hygiene into the public discourse.”


“COVID-kiling colour”

The typeface is Albra Semi, though it has been tweaked for the legibility on the various formats.

Free the Birds creative director Nick Vaus says that the blue colour palette was chosen because it was considered the “most hygienic of the colours”. It also had a “fresh” appeal while being a “serious looking COVID-killing” shade.

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