Lambie-Nairn creates Zubo identity

In an unprecedented move, computer games giant EA has turned to branding consultancy Lambie-Nairn to create a complete identity and packaging design for Nintendo DS game Zubo.

EA has always used in-house marketing teams for branding and packaging, but hired visual brand specialist Lambie-Nairn on the strength of work the group did for phone company O2 seven years ago.

Lambie-Nairn senior client director Andy Hayes says the consultancy, which was appointed in February, was briefed to ‘address the fun of the Zubo world, while considering legibility and clarity’. The work was completed in July ahead of the game’s launch last Friday.

Starting with a Zubo logo, the identity leads into what Hayes calls a ‘graphic user interface’. He explains, ‘We created a typeface of A-Z letters to be used in the game itself.’ The look and feel of the box design was informed by the logo and the characters in the children’s adventure game. The box also depicts an EA roundel.

Hayes says that gaming companies may have been reluctant to hire consultancies as many games are scrapped before release.

He believes that Lambie-Nairn’s offer of a ‘screen-based branded experience’ made it preferable to EA’s in-house marketing department for the job.

If the project is a success, Lambie-Nairn will be designing further graphics-based point-of-sale work for EA. Hayes adds that Lambie-Nairn will ‘definitely’ work with EA again and has ‘discussed other games’.