My Favourite. My Office Club.

So my next blog. What to write? What’s the topic? Hmmmm…

I was given a few suggestions internally which I’ve chosen to ignore. Call it artistic license. And my previous blog received our highest ever ‘engagement’ on our LinkedIn, so no pressure then….

I decided to look back on 2020 and focus on my favourite piece of creative I’ve worked on this year. Anyone who knows me, knows that what I love most in the world of design and creativity, is branding. Pure and simple. The creation of an identity and the foundations of a brand. Get that right and it can do wonders for the future of a business. Get it wrong and it could do genuine damage.

BWP were approached to develop a new identity and brand positioning for My Office Club. A new white label brand from MHA London, backed by Newable, a leading provider of branded office solutions who help businesses through funding, professional support and premises. Located in the heart of Lewisham, My Office Club will provide flexible workspaces, based in the iconic Art Deco Tower House building. Built in 1933, Tower House has recently been redeveloped by the MHA London, to become an exciting new mixed-use creative hub, and the home of My Office Club.

In an increasingly crowded market, the identity needed to stand out and appeal to our core target audience of entrepreneurs and SMEs, who wanted to grow their businesses in a vibrant and creative location. We wanted our audience to ‘join the club’ and feel part of a new and exciting brand. We wanted members to have a genuine affinity with the brand, and the staff to wear the My Office Club badge with pride. It was the idea of a membership ‘club’ badge that really resonated with what we wanted to achieve with the identity. We didn’t just want an identity that looked good, but one that actually meant something. An identity that could be built upon and that would weave through the whole brand. So much more than just a logo.

Taking the badge idea, we developed various logo concepts. With numerous shapes in the mix, we explored how this could be truly owned by My Office Club, without forcing it or trying too hard. It came down to a single shape that evolved from the structure of an M (My). Together with the sides of a 3D ‘room’ (Office), this created a simple shield shape (Club). Placing ‘Lewisham’ underneath acted as a location marker. With a clean graphic finish, the logo could be used with and without the locator name. Flexible for all physical and digital applications.

We also explored if we could introduce an element of Art Deco from the Tower House history. We didn’t want it to be a pastiche or too obvious, but a nod to the building’s heritage and the brand’s first location. With additional locations planned for the future, the new identity needed to work across any style of building. With this in mind, we created a geometric ‘brand grid’ from the shield shape that harks back to an Art Deco era. This pattern adds a flexible layer to the brand architecture and helps to give greater ownership and distinction.

The foundations, approach and principles we established enabled us to create a strong and coherent brand, with true meaning at its heart.

This was very much a collaborative approach between all parties involved, where everyone was able to focus on their area of expertise. The My Office Club branding project was a real pleasure to work on and I look forward to sharing my favourite of 2021 with you.