THE SITUATION

Just as one would update their look, so too does a company have to update its image. This was the case for Spanner, a venerable 36-year-old Canadian manufacturer of contemporary womenswear, poised to launch its foray onto the retail landscape in 2009. Spanner knew that it was time for a complete overhaul of their brand. Elixir was brought in to provide the much-needed makeover. The challenge was to refresh the Spanner brand in a way that would not only set the tone for Spanner's debut in the Toronto fashion retail marketplace, but also become the new directional look for every element of the brand's identity. The identity needed to have the flexibility to work in a wide variety of applications.

THE CURE

Elixir started the process by developing the logo featuring an icon that could be modified and transposed into unique shapes and graphics. In total, four secondary icons were created from the ʻS'-design found in the primary icon. These icons would be used to visually unify all of Spanner's communication elements, while at the same time, would allow for the flexibility and playfulness that Spanner desired. Clean, distinctive and contemporary, the icons are prominent in the new look and branding. They appear on every aspect of Spanner marketing materials and in the retail environment including; corporate identity and stationery, labels and hangtags, jacket liners and zipper pulls, belts and accessories, packaging, sales collateral, signage and point-of-sale, gift cards, web site and advertising.

THE RESULTS

In addition to attracting an entirely new crowd of customers to the Spanner Shops at Don Mills store, the new look of Spanner quickly created buzz among Canadian fashion industry insiders. Just weeks after launching the new look, Spanner became the title sponsor of the inaugural StyleBox Red Carpet Preview, was featured on TV's CityLine and Style By Jury, hosted a VIP Shopping Evening with LOULOU magazine, became the wardrobe sponsor for Taylor Kaye on TV's Inside Jam! and for her Cineplex pre-show and red carpet interviews, and garnered editorial coverage in numerous newspapers and magazines across the country.