1995 > Forthnet
back then was a university’s spin-off (in Crete) and one of the two internet connection providers in Greece. Colibri redesigned its logo and corporate identity, set the design and colour templates for promotion and advertising, advised for and designed the first greek periodical on internet topics –NetTips (a monthly inlay of Eleftherotypia newspaper). During the next three years we helped Forthnet grow and establish its brand name as the prime commercial internet service provider we recognise today.
Milestones
1999 > The British Council
in Greece trusted Colibri with the implementation of its global 2-year rebranding plan. We studied the new detailed CI Guidelines (from the UK) and applied them on the full spectrum of the Council’s activities in Greece, including environmental branding, publishing, exhibitions, public campaigns and company literature.
2000 > The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB)
started working with Colibri on its Corporate Identity and its publications (the brand logo had been designed in Turkey even before the Bank’s official opening). For six years we were the Bank’s communication consultants and designers.
2002 > Colibri was awarded the first prize in the Hellenic Awards for Design and Illustration (EBΓΕ) for the logotype design of Logos, a speech pathology centre. It was the first of many awards in the following years including a Grand Ermis and a European Design Awards Distinction
2005 > A twenty-year old company by the name
of Inox Center s.a. consulted Colibri for a new edition of its company profile. By reviewing their products and their markets we saw (and helped them realise) that their business development and brand strategy was faulted.
In a 3-months period Inox Center name and logo gave way to “Milkplan”. Under the Milkplan brand the company continues to this date to manufacture and distribute high quality dairy equipment to 50 countries (they still make their milk cooling tanks and their milking systems using inox- stainless steel)! Milkplan’s rebranding (new brand name, new positioning, new messages, new visual identity) was one of the most demanding projects in Colibri’s experience.
2006 > Cedefop –the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training and the only EU Institution based in Greece- commissioned its full rebranding to Colibri. In a 9-month project we designed the new brand logo and home style, the new CI manual, a Publications Guidelines Manual and we staged several presentations and training sessions for their use. Until 2009 we were Cedefop’s official brand partner and designed or supervised the brand’s implementation
to publications, congresses, environmental and signage design, website, digital presentations etc.
2008 > The Naoussa International Film Festival (NIFF) trusted Colibri with the full rebranding of the institution –logotype, corporate identity applications, literature, sponsors kit and environmental graphics. In the following years Colibri also designed the communication of the Festival’s Editions. Each year NiFF adopts an individual concept- to brand its film catalogue, a visitor’s guide, as series of small brochures and flyers, posters and banners, radio and TV spots, merchandising items, web banners and illustrated press releases. The rebranding of NiFF was widely appraised and invited an opportunity for Colibri to rebrand the Gold Fish Animation Film Festival of Russia.
2011 > Thessaloniki City Branding is one of the major destination branding projects in Greece. Colibri and the Athens based branding firm Brandexcel formed a cosortium in which we undertook the design of the whole project and participated in the branding strategy process (extensive research, audits, positioning, messages).
For the tagline we used the services of Martyn Tipping, a USA based branding expert. The final brand logo consists of a heart shaped, colourful mosaic. The mosaic, a constant pictorial theme from Antiquity
to the Hellenistic period to the Byzantine Empire, has been chosen as a symbol of the multicultural and multifaceted city’s “many stories. The heart symbol conveys the friendliness of the local community and the promise of a memorable city break (“many stories, one heart”). The branding system included various lock-up combinations, the brand manual and several presentations to the Branding Team and the Press.
2012 > The “Elliniki Axia” (greek value) concept and logo was proposed by Colibri to the Federation of Industries of Nothern Greece (SBBE) as a sign for quality brands, products and businesses of greek origin. The Federation came up with the “Greek Value” Awards, an event with sizeable impact for which we designed the stage set, the posters and banners and the animated introductory videos.
2013 > Euroco,
a Greek company with an impressive expertise in wooden constructions and no significant exports asked Colibri for advise. We researched the Greek and the Turkish market (chosen as pilot for the exports), audited shareholders and clients, surveyed competitors and learned much on wood. The communication strategy we proposed and implemented included a new segmentation of the company’s products and services, a digital marketing plan full with a revised web site, a blog, newsletters, google ads and SEO techniques and a thorough rebranding plan (new logo design, new tagline, new positioning and messages).
2013 > Very Macedonia,
is the brand name for the Region of Central Macedonia tourism campaign.
We conceived the name and designed the logo, the main brochure -portfolio and its accompaning leaflets, exhibition stands, fam trip materials, website and 8 TV spots (7 thematic + 1 general).
2014 > Discover Greece.
For almost a decade the discussion on how to upgrade Greek tourism instead of steering the country’s and the industry’s officials towards a long-term national strategy, produced a branding frenzy that spread among various ministries, regions, municipalities, public services, NGO’s, social groups and activists adding new names and images to the already fragmented greek image.
Marketing Greece s.a aimed to put a stop to this Greek- style Babel by introducing a comprehensive web presence for Greek tourism –a web platform to communicate with individual travellers, communities and professionals on a global scale. Colibri was tasked to design the Discover Greece brand.