Aquascutum
- Client Aquascutum
- Project Redesign & Campaign Identity
- Year 2002-2004
Britishness revisited
Back from the trenches: Hovering in a stalemated position between historic British style icon and modern fashion and luxury brand, Aquascutum wanted to refocus its identity and brand positioning.
This called for clear choices. One of them was to redefine the definition of Britishness.
Having come out of a long and glorious history as producer of warm, water-resistant overcoats for the British officers in the two World Wars, Aquascutum became reknowned
for superior quality. People still come to Aquascutum's shops after 10 or 15 years to have the lining renewed in the superior overcoats and prolong their lifespan a decade further - free of charge,
naturally. Aquascutum had followed a trajectory as a household name in British style - worn by icons such as Winston Churchill and Vivien Leigh - yet had somehow come to a standstill. Maybe it was
symbolic that from the 1980s until 2000 Margaret Thatcher was the most prominent icon wearer of Aquascutum's British wardrobes.
Brought on board as Aquascutum's new creative agency in September 2002, e-Types worked closely with the Aquascutum to revive its brand positioning and visual identity. The answer, it turned out, was to dig deep into the soul of the brand and define anew what it means to be British. Based on this brand platform, e-Types revised Aquascutum's visual identity and packaging. e-Types also developed Aquascutum's autumn/winter 2003 and spring/summer 2004 campaigns.
Brought on board as Aquascutum's new creative agency in September 2002, e-Types worked closely with the Aquascutum to revive its brand positioning and visual identity. The answer, it turned out, was to dig deep into the soul of the brand and define anew what it means to be British. Based on this brand platform, e-Types revised Aquascutum's visual identity and packaging. e-Types also developed Aquascutum's autumn/winter 2003 and spring/summer 2004 campaigns.
Modernizing the look for a new generation
Using the talents of renowned photographer Casper Sejersen, e-Types conceived two campaigns that reflected both the Bitish heritage of the brand, but also gave it a fresh, modern element.
Using the talents of renowned photographer Casper Sejersen, e-Types conceived two campaigns that reflected both the Bitish heritage of the brand, but also gave it a fresh, modern element.
"The idea was to bring the images and concept in line with the company's core qualities - those of classic, luxurious garments for men and women while at the same time signaling a new and much more modern interpretation of what it means to be British,"
says Rasmus Ibfelt, director at e-Types.
"Our aim was to focus the image campaign on the incredible detailing and high-quality fabrics of the clothing through a more image-led campaign than they have done in the past".
"The evocative new campaign not only stands out in a sea of repetitive product imagery, but also gives a strong nod to how Aquascutum is modernizing its look for a new generation that is increasingly seeking out that old-school expertise,' says London trend-spotter and fashion writer, Jen Ford, who contributes to The Financial Times, American Vogue, British Vogue and Nylon. 'The new imagery does exactly that: it's seductive, it's sleek and, above all, still remains Aquascutum."
Since 2004, Aquascutum's campaigns have been done by various other agencies (one of them enlisting another British icon, Pierce Brosnan, as its signature advertising
model after his days as Bond were over). But e-Types' design lives on, a.o. the redesigned coat of arms and the special typeface used in all visual communication.
Tally Ho!
Tally Ho!
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