Oxfam to appoint group to overhaul entire brand

Oxfam is about to appoint a design consultancy to spearhead an overhaul of its entire brand, after a seven-way creative pitch between unnamed groups.

Oxfam says some of the shortlisted consultancies have worked with the charity before and others have not. It declines to comment on whether the pitch was paid.

A Lambie-Nairn spokeswoman confirms that the group has been in talks with the charity about the branding project, but declines to comment further.

“We are looking at the whole of the Oxfam brand, at how to bring the network up-to-date,” says Oxfam shops marketing executive Carole Steedman.

Oxfam operates a 830-strong chain of shops. “The aim is to make it more customer friendly, basically a better shopping experience,” says Steedman.

She says the exact content of the revamp is yet to be determined but everything is under review, including the brand marque and store interiors.

The overhaul is part of a broader drive to promote the charity’s business. Last week Oxfam launched Origin, a new concept subsidiary retail chain created by the client’s in-house team and marketing consultancy What If. The in-house team designed the interiors and the facia and liaised with What If on the name and brand identity.

“The aim is to attract new customers in the 18-35 age range, who wouldn’t normally want to come to Oxfam but are interested in second-hand clothes,” says Steedman.

Origin will hold suitable garments from Oxfam’s stock alongside own-brand T-shirts and record bags. Initially the concept has gone live in four standalone outlets and 26 concessions in existing Oxfam outlets. Further roll out decisions will be made in six months when the concept is reviewed.