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First Trenitalia (Avanti!) WCML branding, naming and livery

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Howard70

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SteveM70 said:
One of the many irritations of modern life. At my work if something is broken it invariably has a sign on it beginning “Hi! I’m feeling a bit poorly” or similar. No, it’s a broken photocopier

Ridiculous

(Although I gather some people do like this sort of thing)
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This really hits the nail on the head in many ways when talking about brands and branding. While the casual observer may see the brand as simply a word or graphic and a colour scheme, the reality is that it goes deeper, or at least it should if it's being done well. It would encompass values, attitudes and in most cases (with a few valid exceptions) tone of voice. If you really go down the branding route then that requires some degree of consistency, so in Virgin's case they can't flip-flop randomly between their more human conversational tone and for example something that sounds like a legal contract unless that's justified - if you think of the brand as a person then think of a schizophrenic. This is reflected in things like the talking toilets, the original intention of which was to let visually impaired passengers know the door was locked (only the accessible toilets with push-button locks talk) and so that's done in the style of everything else they do.

Another part of the Virgin 'toilet experience' was the 'don't flush hopes, dreams, goldfish, etc...' stickers that could quite easily have conveyed the same message by saying 'loo roll and excrement only please', but they didn't because they adopted the brand tone of voice. That particular message was subsequently directly ripped off by other TOCs and companies and iirc even the Sochi winter Olympics. The example of a sign on a photocopier in an office is almost certainly just a further watering down and copying of something that was taken from somewhere that had originality and creativity, and that probably boils down to a person in your office who thinks they're funny (but probably isn't).

For me personally, I happen to sit near a photocopier so if a tatty piece of A4 stops 90% of people asking me what they can do about error:1234 I'd be happy with that, possibly even if it was printed in comic sans.
 
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Clip

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ashkeba said:
No. Train branding launch next month, says post #779. How would they get a train to today's central Brimingham venue anyway? Tram drag?
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Well 'Grand Central' is right next to new st so why would it not be new street?
 
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Bletchleyite

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Howard70 said:
Another part of the Virgin 'toilet experience' was the 'don't flush hopes, dreams, goldfish, etc...' stickers that could quite easily have conveyed the same message by saying 'loo roll and excrement only please', but they didn't because they adopted the brand tone of voice.
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Saying it the traditional way doesn't grab attention in the way the "zany" way does (a bit like the way "see it say it sorted" grates like sin but I bet we all know the number). I think it speaks volumes that Stagecoach adopted it for EMT and SWT, and those were brightly-coloured but never zany.
 
pdeaves

pdeaves

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<aside on the 'talking toilets' theme> Not specific to VT but what I really, really dislike is, when standing at a loo, the PA speaker suddenly blurts out 'if you see something that doesn't look right...' It's just awkward!

To the topic at hand. There is an existing brand on the West Coast route and from December there will be a new brand (which, as someone has already pointed out, is more than just a badge and some paint). I am certain that there will be people who like one but not the other (either way round). Ultimately, there is unlikely to be a single brand that keeps everyone happy; the elements I like may well not be the elements you like, and vice versa. There will be a change this year that we will have to accept and at the next time an operator changes, another change that we will also have to accept. That change may be better or worse (probably both, depending on who you ask!). It's all part of the big wide world where we are all different and have individual likes and dislikes.
 
EE Andy b1

EE Andy b1

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VIRGIN TRAINS

"We are removing Virgin Trains logos, any obvious VT branding - for example our tone of voice in the on-board toilets - and anything that reflects the Virgin Trains (and Virgin group) brand values".

EDIT: Source - End of Franchise Staff Newsletter dated 26/11/19.
 
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Journeyman

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pdeaves said:
<aside on the 'talking toilets' theme> Not specific to VT but what I really, really dislike is, when standing at a loo, the PA speaker suddenly blurts out 'if you see something that doesn't look right...' It's just awkward!

To the topic at hand. There is an existing brand on the West Coast route and from December there will be a new brand (which, as someone has already pointed out, is more than just a badge and some paint). I am certain that there will be people who like one but not the other (either way round). Ultimately, there is unlikely to be a single brand that keeps everyone happy; the elements I like may well not be the elements you like, and vice versa. There will be a change this year that we will have to accept and at the next time an operator changes, another change that we will also have to accept. That change may be better or worse (probably both, depending on who you ask!). It's all part of the big wide world where we are all different and have individual likes and dislikes.
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Yeah...much as I've been a bit critical of Virgin here, it's worth pointing out that this is the end of an era, and it does feel like a bit more than just a common-or-garden franchise handover. A brandname is disappearing from the industry, and it's one that has been around since the very early days of privatisation. Despite all the cheesiness, Virgin have achieved a great deal and what they did to the WCML was pretty transformational. I know it didn't go entirely to plan, but there you go...in a tough environment, they got things done.

Big changes coming, of course. We live in interesting times.
 
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Journeyman

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EE Andy b1 said:
VIRGIN TRAINS

"We are removing Virgin Trains logos, any obvious VT branding - for example our tone of voice in the on-board toilets - and anything that reflects the Virgin Trains (and Virgin group) brand values".
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HALLELUJAH!
 
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SteveM70

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What’s it like in VT’s head office? Is it like an extreme version of the public facing brand image?

I have visions of hipster bearded creative types parking their penny farthings outside, getting some lychee juice in a jam jar for breakfast, and spending most of the working day on a sofa
 
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Journeyman

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SteveM70 said:
What’s it like in VT’s head office? Is it like an extreme version of the public facing brand image?

I have visions of hipster bearded creative types parking their penny farthings outside, getting some lychee juice in a jam jar for breakfast, and spending most of the working day on a sofa
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I've been to a few company functions and recruitment events. It's exactly like that. They don't have a Board Room, they have a "Not Bored" Room. The "Virgin Summer Of Love" ice cream van showed up, and the entire office turned into giggling three-year-olds.

*vomits*
 
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Howard70

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SteveM70 said:
What’s it like in VT’s head office? Is it like an extreme version of the public facing brand image?

I have visions of hipster bearded creative types parking their penny farthings outside, getting some lychee juice in a jam jar for breakfast, and spending most of the working day on a sofa
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My initial response was no, it's not. There's still a contingent of old school BR types scattered about who refuse point blank not to wear suit trousers. However, everything's relative I guess so compared to other TOCs yes, the gist of your description is pretty much bang on ;)

I should point out though I'm talking about the London office here, not the main HQ in Birmingham, be that for job functional or regional reasons.
 
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lfc84

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presumably the new website will go live soon ? i wonder if they'll have any launch offers ?
 
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Clip

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EE Andy b1 said:
VIRGIN TRAINS

"We are removing Virgin Trains logos, any obvious VT branding - for example our tone of voice in the on-board toilets - and anything that reflects the Virgin Trains (and Virgin group) brand values".
Click to expand...


Wheres this stated?
 
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Energy

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Just make sure to tell us the brand once the embargo has lifted, I don't really mind about the invite.
 
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