Nawras branding gone wrong.

As'salam Alaikom,

I know it has been ages since I last blogged. Apologies. I've been busy organizing PechaKucha Night - Muscat, which was held on the 21st May. www.Pecha-Kucha.org.
If you're into creative visual designs, you're invited to the next one in August.

Nowadays, I just have quick short comments on ads I see around me in Muscat that I place on my twitter account @omanadvertising.

Anywhooo, lets move on to what I have in store for you today; Narwas branding (a telecommunication company).


First let me explain what is branding? 

"To understand branding, it is important to know what brands are. A brand is the idea or image of a specific product or service that consumers connect with, by identifying the name, logo, slogan, or design of the company who owns the idea or image. Branding is when that idea or image is marketed so that it is recognizable by more and more people, and identified with a certain service or product when there are many other companies offering the same service or product."

Nawras Logo in full colour

On Wednesday I attended TEDx. One of their main sponsors this year was Nawras.

On each chair there was this giveaway bag; a recycled bag filled with goodies. YAY! Who doesn't like free stuff?! Sa7?

Below is the bag. All clean and white with a green Nawras logo. Why the monotone?! Clearly, because it's cheaper this way. One colour printing is always cheaper than four. Fine. Whatever. It's not like its going to cost you fortunes or you can't afford a 4 colour print, Nawras! You should create a first impression, grab attention with the beautiful colours that already exist. I carry this bag to work every day as my lunch bag. Imagine how many people look at it!! and yeah, you're welcome :)


We all know Narwas' logo is bright and lively. You just killed it here and flattened it.

Moving along... Let us see what's inside the bag...

Trying not to judge a book by it's cover, Narwas, I'm giving you a second chance to impress me. I'll look inside the bag. You might've used your brand colours wisely.

In the bag I got:

TEDx' programme card,

a Nawras note pad,

a Narwas USB,

and a Nawras pen.

This is a group picture of the goodies. Let's check them now one by one:

The Programme card. Nice! Everything in place.

The Nawras logo is in full colour, but then this wasn't produced by them, so no credits here.

The note pad. Nice! the guidelines are implemented. 

The logo is in full colour.

PASS

And now the nightmare:

The complicated pen. 
Some ink cartridge and instructions sheet tucked under the pen. 
At the top end of the pen there a highlighting pen.

The logo is in black. 

Question: Why didn't you stick to green like the bag to remain consistent? or blue to match the below?

FAIL

The WTF USB case:

1. The USB compartment is wayyyyy bigger then the USB.

2. The case has the logo in navy blue!

3. The logo on the USB is in white and the background is gold! Huh?
Can't the background be blue to match the case? *common sense shwaya?*

Someone explain to me why the mashed potato idea here? How does your marketing/branding manager allow such thing to be distributed to hundreds without checking the brands consistency and guidelines? or are your existing and potential costumers not worth the hassle?

EPIC FAIL when you can't reflect a decent image of your company.

After all this mash up of colours and dog food, I would like to ask Nawras:

Was this done in a rush?

Did you just throw other events left overs in a sack over night?

Do you know the importance of first impression/branding/marketing?

Seriously, are you colour blind? or are your clients simply not worth it?

Allah yahdeekom,

Rating: Zero for the pen and sack,

-1/5 for the USB case (yes! minus one),

4/5 for the spiral bound note pad and programme card logo implementation. 

With design, SF.