Buick: Style Guide

Credits:

Type of Entry: Corporate or Brand Identity
Category: Publications
Title: BUICK STYLE GUIDE
Advertiser/Client: GENERAL MOTORS
Product/Service: BUICK
Entrant Company: LEO BURNETT USA Chicago, USA
Design/Advertising Agency: LEO BURNETT USA Chicago, USA
Creative Credits
Name Company Position
Mark Tutssel Leo Burnett Global Chief Creative Officer
John Condon Leo Burnett Chief Creative Officer
Dave Loew Leo Burnett Creative Director/Copywriter
Jon Wyville Leo Burnett Creative Director/Copywriter
Rainer Schmidt Leo Burnett Art Director
Chris Von Ende Leo Burnett Art Director
Details
Brief Explanation:
Graphic standards sent by lead agencies are often ignored. We needed a concept to grab people's attention, hence the typo on the cover. Throughout the style guide, we used "inside" designer humor to keep them engaged.
Describe the brief from the client:
Before we won the account, the look of Buick's advertising and marketing materials was inconsistent, using a cacophony of different typefaces, design cues, colors, and photographic styles. Our goal was to create a unified, cohesive and well-crafted look for Buick across all consumer touch points -- retail, online, print and television advertising, websites, brochures and catalogs, direct mail.
Description of how you arrived at the final design:
The style guide was inspired by the color palette and design cues of an upscale spa. The style guide uses two primary typefaces - one modern, one classic – to evoke a "refreshingly reminiscent" design style.
Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market:
The Buick Style Guide launched in June 2008 and mailed to Buick agencies in Detroit, New York, Boston and Dallas-Ft. Worth. The guides were distributed in person at several cross-agency design standard meetings. The look of Buick communication materials has become much more consistent, which has helped strengthen the brand in difficult economic times.