To support its “Embrace Your Power” brand positioning, launched in January 2023 by New York global communications firm Wunderman Thompson, Avon tapped UK-based creative agency Free The Birds for an all-encompassing visual and verbal refresh.
The overriding goal? To underscore and celebrate Avon’s belief that every woman is born with her own unique power.
Throughout the last quarter of 2023, the global rebrand has been rolling out across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North and South Latin America, and Asia Pacific territories. The Avon Company, based in North America, is a separate business entity owned by LG household & health care and is not included in the global rebrand.
In the creative world, a brief of such scope is obviously a hot commodity. So how did Avon land on Free The Birds?
According to Nick Vaus, co-founder and Managing Partner of Free The Birds, the decision tipped in the agency’s favor for a few key reasons: one, Free The Birds has been specializing in beauty brands since 1997, and two, there was already a preexisting relationship in place between Free The Birds and Kristof Neirynck, Avon’s Global Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director for Western Europe, who will assume the title of Avon CEO in January 2024.
Specifically, Free The Birds collaborated with Neirynck when he managed Boots/No. 7 Beauty, working on such division brands as SLEEK, No. 7, and Liz Earle. “This collaboration further solidified our creative abilities, building trust and confidence for the next chapter,” says Vaus.
“Free The Birds has a distinctive approach for every brand creation and revitalization project, leveraging our unique Brand Island process,” Vaus notes. "This well-established and proven approach significantly contributes to our success in winning pitches.”
According to Free The Birds, Avon’s 135-year track record in creating positive change for women is the brand’s core ethos, and one they would never walk away from. From a first-mover perspective, Avon fully embraced female empowerment long before it became the norm for companies selling products to women.
But at the same time, a fragmented beauty market makes it difficult for any brand, even one as large as Avon, to stand out. That dictated a top-down creative reappraisal, with the goal of drawing in new consumers and reinvigorating the brand.
After the launch of the “Embrace Your Power” tagline earlier this year, that creative realignment became even more crucial.
Initially kicking off as a reinvigoration of Avon’s packaging design, the project expanded after Free The Birds dug in and conducted a deeper audit of the brand’s global positioning. What surfaced during the audit was an overall dilution of Avon’s core messaging over time and inconsistency across platforms.
The solution to this inconsistency and dilution, as recommended by Free The Birds, was the creation of a single cohesive strategy across all brand touchpoints.
Avon had already been in the process of modernizing by moving to “Embrace Your Power” from its previous “Watch Me Now” brand positioning, which was unveiled in 2020, and nodded to financial independence and supported causes such as domestic abuse and breast cancer. The next step, a partnership with Free The Birds, would fuel a fresh new look and feel.
Avon’s reenergized brand world encompasses both visual and verbal identity, and includes:
New “Hallmark” Logo
Free The Birds says, “The Avon mark is protected in the rebrand, carrying forward the recognition of the brand into the new visual identity.
"The use of ‘power pink’ became a key element that formed the basis of the new brand identity, and the logo was at the core of this. The vibrant, powerful color reflects the confidence Avon gives women all over the world. The new color distills the brand’s new tone of voice: positively powerful.
"The shape the logo sites within—a podium, a plinth and a pedestal— represents the way Avon helps to elevate its diverse community.”
Packaging Redesign
Free The Birds says, “Previously the master brand felt apologetic, lacking stand out and leaning heavily on category semiotics.
"In the rebrand, we didn’t lose the recognizable identity of packaging for different brands, however the consistency sought in shifting Avon from a “house of brands” model to a “branded house” model is achieved by adding the new logo proudly throughout packaging. The new design framework delivers consistency and coherence across the portfolio.
"The brandmark is centrally placed, clear, and confident. Small exceptions include certain pack structures and the logo color depending on the collection.
"Presence of Avon’s commitment to activism is featured on packaging—as well as advertising—with the use of iconography on accreditations Avon holds.
"This sits alongside ‘Embrace Your Power’ QR codes, used across many communication touchpoints from point of sale to packaging, as well as adverts of all kinds. These codes invite customers to engage with Avon online, tailored to each individual market.”
Website Refresh and Updated Social Media Assets
According to Free The Birds, “The new brand identity provided advice on Avon’s website refresh, with the ‘power pink’ remaining as a key point of guidance. Without overpowering the page, the bold color is to be featured across a number of touchpoints, from navigation aids to buttons.”
Color
Free The Birds added, “The ‘power pink’ became the central, key color beginning in the logo but translated across any number of elements, from shop fits to social media assets. Depending on the use of the logo on a certain project or device, the color can be based on the existing background.”
Primary Typography
In terms of typography, Free The Birds says, “The primary typography is Lato, a font which is clear, solid yet with subtle personality, allowing for imagery and packs to be loud and proud.
Photography Style
Free The Birds says, “Whilst we did not undertake new photography for Avon as part of the rebrand, we provided guidance on art direction which speaks to the core values of inclusivity, empowerment and the power of change. This also included future commerce product photography, which endeavors to be inclusive, interactive and dynamic.
"The powerful pink of the hallmark influences the use of Avon’s photography we see today following the rebrand, key examples in the image of the macro shots of product, bold formats in lipstick swatches, et cetera.”
Advertising Layouts
Free The Birds comments, “In addition to the detail above, any commercial produced will now conclude with an end frame featuring the new hallmark and the line ‘Embrace Your Power.’
Brand Guidelines and Visual Personality
When speaking about its support of women power, Free The Birds added, “In standing up for women for more than 135 years, Avon prior to this rebrand has consistently fought for the empowerment of women. The fight for equal rights for men and women speaks to the deep commitment to broader inclusion. This was carried through to the new positioning of ‘Embrace Your Power.’
"The rebrand therefore aims to continue that thread of communicating the core value through fighting for progress for women, diversity, and inclusivity and coming together to build a community under the Avon umbrella. It speaks to the power of the collective that can lift each other up through the strength of support.
"The tone of voice is therefore positively powerful, encouraging confidence, courage, and consistency—from copy featured on the website to social media assets.
"The overall visual personality is fueled by the ‘power pink,’ carried throughout the brand identity and which promotes boldness, diversity, sociability, fun-loving, committed, real women.”
