Challenge:
David Ogilvy said that “change is our lifeblood.” And in a world of emerging channels, new technologies, machine intelligence, and empowered customers; the advertising industry is experiencing change at an accelerated rate. So Ogilvy, one of the most storied creative agencies in the world, turned to COLLINS to help create a more future-facing version of themselves.

The company was already in the process of streamlining the organization, as we began the task of giving logic to a new brand architecture and designing a new visual identity. Several members of the COLLINS team had spent their formative years at Ogilvy, and this existing relationship only deepened our engagement. We began with a deep appreciation of the project’s potential. And we were honored to partner with our friends to meet this challenge.

Ogilvy offices around the globe already define a powerful creative network, but additional steps were needed to align this network with the needs of the future. As the company dissolved internal obstacles and divisions, COLLINS began building new strategic positioning and internal cultural values. Creativity could no longer remain the domain of any “creative department.” Each employee, regardless of their individual skill set, would now be charged with driving the company’s creativity, overall.

Like our strategic work, the visual identity system has its roots in Ogilvy history. The new logo transitioned from David Ogilvy’s signature — the mark of one person — to a redrawn version of the existing corporate typeface, Baskerville — thus becoming the mark of many people.

This work, done with and for our friends, aspires to leave Ogilvy well-prepared to meet the opportunities of tomorrow, while still remaining connected to their remarkable past.