Honda revisits their logotype, brand architecture, and introduces ‘The Power of Dreams’.
Honda’s slab serif logotype had not been changed for decades.
Originally designed for a large heavy engineering manufacture it increasingly felt like a relic from a bygone industrial age.
Honda’s R&D team recognised the need for a change to align the brand in the 21st century. They had worked on possible new directions, many very futuristic but came to the decision that what was needed was clever refinement of the existing artwork.
Honda wanted their new logo to express the company’s higher values of dynamism and modernity. They felt that the existing logo lacked the finesse, subtlety and rationale to reflect what Honda products offered the consumer.
Newlyn was commissioned with the task of creating a new identity for Honda, which would not only reflect the company values but also position their products for a generation to come without alienating Hondas loyal customer base.
The design was a three stage process. Stage one dealing with rhythm, curvature and weight of the typeface and stage two with the design of a new bracketed serif. It was important to optimise for legibility, and overall balance. The final stage concerned communicating the rationale behind the change and improving understanding of it.
Newlyn also designed an original custom font for Honda’s new unforgettable strapline ‘The Power of Dreams’ as part of the overall re-branding.
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