Caran d’Ache sharpens up its identity with PSD

PSD Associates has created a new identity for Swiss quality pen group Caran d’Ache, as part of a wider repositioning of the brand. The project budget was 1.8m.

As part of the process the group has extended the client’s Geneva range by designing and packaging The Lèman Collection, a four-strong sub-brand. Point-of-sale material is also by PSD.

The new range aims to broaden the appeal of one of the world’s more expensive pen brands and will launch in the UK midway through this year, as it rolls out worldwide. The range will retail in Harrods and Asprey at between 200-500. “Our research into the brand revealed that we needed to move toward a classic modern positioning, while retaining Caran d’Ache’s premium corporate brand associations,” says a PSD spokeswoman.

The group is to work with the client to further develop the brand. It will also revamp other product ranges, to bring greater consistency to the evolving brand. This includes creating a new product range to complement the client’s existing Madison collection, which PSD is currently working on.

“We are looking at a broad range of ways to develop the brand and its communication. This is likely to include a number of elements, as we are looking not just at the product, but the whole experience behind it. This will be integrated with an advertising campaign,” says PSD creative director Paul Stead.