Published By Cleartwo
14th August 2024
11:25 AMPrimark has unveiled a rebrand developed by its creative agency VCCP, featuring subtle adjustments to its logo and the introduction of new graphic elements. The logo changes centre on a wider type family called Primark Basis, developed by the Colophon foundry. The word mark’s weights have been increased, and the lock-up has been re-kerned to improve visibility at smaller scales on social and digital platforms, according to VCCP.
A new framing device, referred to as a “portal,” has also been introduced. This portal consists of two oblongs forming a ‘P’ when combined, which acts as a graphic window to display campaign assets. This technique, which has seen widespread use by various brands in 2023—including Porto Rocha—creates a “window into the world of Primark,” according to a press release. The portal will be utilized across campaigns and throughout the brand’s broader identity, aiming to vividly showcase everything Primark has to offer.
Primark has introduced a new secondary color palette to complement its refreshed aqua blue, primarily for accessibility purposes, according to VCCP. The updated type family, an adapted version of Basis Grotesque developed by Colophon, features subtle curvatures and playful characters in the logo to better reflect the brand’s personality.
The rebrand, including the new framing device known as the “portal,” will be featured across assets for Primark’s new campaign, Viva Summer. This is part of a broader shift in Primark’s marketing and branding approach, which has seen changes in recent years. Since 2021, Primark has increasingly focused on promoting its Primark Cares initiative, which outlines its commitment to becoming a sustainable and circular business by 2030. Key goals include producing all clothing from recycled or sustainably sourced materials, halving carbon emissions across its value chain, and striving for a living wage for workers within its supply chain.
However, Primark’s sustainability efforts have faced criticism. In an article in Metro, Erin Bush-O’Brien of the Fair Fashion Project cited Primark Cares as an example of greenwashing, arguing, “Businesses and companies know that people care and want to make a difference – and they’re exploiting that fact that we want to do our bit. If a company is still using a linear fast fashion business model and making sustainability claims, I think that’s greenwashing.”