Eurotunnel now just branded LeShuttle

[Flange Squeal]

I remember the locos used on the Eurotunnel vehicle services through the Channel Tunnel originally had small Eurotunnel roundels on the cab side, with the main bodysides featuring prominent logos that read 'le Shuttle'. Over time the Le Shuttle brand name seemed to be reduced in prominence with the locos' subsequent repaints seeing the Eurotunnel logo given pride of place and the Le Shuttle name removed, reduced to more of a tagline in publicity material very much overshadowed by the Eurotunnel name.

It would appear that within the last few days(?) this has changed though, with them rebranding more prominently as 'LeShuttle' with an entirely new logo wiping out most references to Eurotunnel from the website.

I'm not sure when this occurred, as it was still Eurotunnel when I booked some tickets a few days ago!

A TV advertisement introducing the new name can be found on their website: https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/welcome-leshuttle/

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The Eurotunnel corporate entity has been called Getlink for a few years.
Maybe these days prefixing everything with "Euro-" is considered too "woke" after Brexit (if I could be bothered to work out what "woke" means ).

 

[zwk500]

A TV advertisement introducing the new name can be found on their website: https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/welcome-leshuttle/

That's a cracking example of ad-man's hype.

I suspect the change has been prompted by a desire to emphasise the different commercial and organisational divisions - Eurotunnel is the rail network itself including the terminals and the Channel Tunnel (and also include the power cables). Getlink group are the current owners of the Eurotunnel infrastructure. Le Shuttle and Le Shuttle Freight are the Ro-Ro operations and then there is also Eurostar and rail freight FOCs.

And, tbh, the logo is looking a little dated now, a refresh is no bad thing after some 30-odd years service.

 

[duesselmartin]

Getlink sounds like my local bus operator. A name that means nothing and does not stick in anybodies mind. I shall never understand why successful brands are ditched like that.

 

[pdeaves]

Getlink sounds like my local bus operator. A name that means nothing and does not stick in anybodies mind. I shall never understand why successful brands are ditched like that.

It's only the owning group name, not customer facing. It really doesn't make any difference. The successful brands are still present.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's only the owning group name, not customer facing. It really doesn't make any difference. The successful brands are still present.

Must admit I'm not really a fan of the new logo, it doesn't really associate with the tunnel for me.

But that aside, you are correct - corporate level brands are aimed at investors, and they have very different views about what constitutes a good brand from end users. You're selling to them so they invest, you're selling to customers so they travel. Thus, using another recent example (sorry for the thread crossover but it seems relevant), "Mobico" sounds like a global mobility company (good for investors - they won't just think you run coaches), whereas people who want to take a coach are probably more reassured by the good old "National Express" name. And so it probably is with GETlink (if you capitalise it, even though they don't, you probably understand it better - GET = Groupe EuroTunnel).

Running multiple brands is the norm these days to appeal to different markets even in the consumer space.

 

[43096]

Must admit I'm not really a fan of the new logo, it doesn't really associate with the tunnel for me.

Isn't the top party of the 'e' a tunnel mouth shape? I'm assuming that's the intention, or am perhaps seeing something that isn't there.

 

[zwk500]

Isn't the top party of the 'e' a tunnel mouth shape? I'm assuming that's the intention, or am perhaps seeing something that isn't there.

I think that's what they're going for, but it somewhat falls short as the Channel Tunnel's portals are about 80% of a circle, rather than 50%.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Isn't the top party of the 'e' a tunnel mouth shape? I'm assuming that's the intention, or am perhaps seeing something that isn't there.

Ah, could be. It's almost like they saw Eurostar's rebrand and wanted in!

That said, a good brand is obvious...

 

[zwk500]

Ah, could be. It's almost like they saw Eurostar's rebrand and wanted in!

That said, a good brand is obvious...

Where are you going to be using the Le Shuttle brand that requires it to stand out from anything else though? It's not like Eurostar where they had a need to be identifiable on transport maps and station signs with a single symbol.

Le shuttle is competing against ferries, and therefore it will most often be seen on journey planners. The new logo scales well on a webpage across multiple devices, which is where 99% of people are going to see it. I bet you can do some nice fancy graphics with tracing the lines as well for when people are looking at the boarding call screen.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Le shuttle is competing against ferries, and therefore it will most often be seen on journey planners. The new logo scales well on a webpage across multiple devices, which is where 99% of people are going to see it. I bet you can do some nice fancy graphics with tracing the lines as well for when people are looking at the boarding call screen.

True, that is the reason for the trend towards simple line-based single colour logos. The Scout Association and Girlguiding UK have both done a similar thing - though both of their logos are very recognisable as what they represent (the fleur-de-lys and trefoil) whereas the Le Shuttle one isn't - and I'm also not convinced that removing "tunnel" from the branding is sensible given that that's what most people call it (though I know some do call it "the shuttle", never heard the "Franglais" from anyone ever bar the company themselves).

 

[zwk500]

True, that is the reason for the trend towards simple line-based single colour logos. The Scout Association and Girlguiding UK have both done a similar thing - though both of their logos are very recognisable as what they represent (the fleur-de-lys and trefoil) whereas the Le Shuttle one isn't -

A number of sports clubs have also notably shifted towards simpler designs - Bristol rugby did so very controversially, Manchester City managed to avoid too many problems as they reverted to a logo they had used in a previous heyday.

and I'm also not convinced that removing "tunnel" from the branding is sensible given that that's what most people call it (though I know some do call it "the shuttle", never heard the "Franglais" from anyone ever bar the company themselves).

I agree. the Franglais version isn't itself bad, but whenever I speak about it I usually refer to the tunnel more than the shuttle (as context usually makes it clear I'm talking about a car coming across, otherwise I usually say 'by Eurostar').