Form rebrands Brompton Dock bike hire scheme

The consultancy has also developed new positioning and brand applications – including dressing for the on-street ‘Docks’ and is currently working on the Brompton Dock website, which will be a key part of the service.

Brompton Dock is a sister company of the Brompton bicycle brand, and offers bikes for medium-to-long term hire.

The scheme is expanding to 25 towns across the UK, with further expansion planned next year.

Brompton Docks are particularly targeted at railway stations, universities and large businesses and users are able to hire out bikes for days at a time and book in advance. Form partner Paula Benson says, ‘The scheme is more like Zipcar than Boris Bikes.’

Form was appointed following a recommendation and tasked with creating stronger positioning and messaging for the brand. Benson says, ‘It was a completely open brief – they were looking to have more impact and presence.

‘We also felt the existing branding wasn’t really communicating how the scheme works – there’s quite a lot to it.’

Form created an illustrated ‘World of Brompton Dock’ and introduced a new tone of voice, with scheme members referred to as ‘Dockers’.

Straplines such as ‘Dock and Roll’ and ‘Dock Around the Clock were also brought in.

As the project progressed the consultancy recommended bringing in a new identity, brand typefaces and wheel icon, while Form also created a new styleguide.

The new branding is rolling out on street banners, posters and leaflets, and Form has also worked on the branding for the Docks themselves, which have vinyls on the doors and graphics mounted to the solar panels and roofs.

The project was developed by Benson and fellow Form partner Paul West, working with designers Joe Wassell-Smith and Jo Hosker.