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WOLKSWAGEN logo history

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The tumultuous history of the WOLKSWAGEN logo

THE IMPLICATIONS OF VOLKSWAGEN'S LOGO CHANGE

I want you to take a moment, and think about why Volkswagen would want to change its logo. It's good ? For those of you who speculate that perhaps this could have something to do with the fact that Volkswagen cheated with the polluting emissions rate of its cars for years, you are absolutely right. This new logo is linked to the scandal which tarnished the reputation of the car manufacturer.

In any case, here's the new Volkswagen logo:

Things have taken a bad turn for Volkswagen since “diesel gate”. An event that destroyed our trust in the brand. This is why renewing new ties with us has become Volkswagen's number one priority, hence the change of logo. By the way, speaking of that, here is the very first Volkswagen logo, and a little nod to Godwin's point.

Is there something familiar about this symbol? In 1937 this logo represented the Volkswagen brand when it was created in Nazi Germany. An association from which Volkswagen very quickly separated itself once it became its own brand after the war. Besides, here is their logo in 1960:

The resemblance to the new 2019 logo is striking! Coincidence? We don't think so.

Apparently it is this logo model which is systematically chosen when Volkswagen is on the path to transition (redemption?). If you remember correctly, it was in the 60s that Volkswagen went from being Hitler's car to being the car of the hippies and the peace and love movement, hence the need for a new logo.

Brief ! Volkswagen has once again drawn a line under its past. And to prove it to us, they showed us their new logo at the same time as the ID.3, their new electric and ecological model. A sure way to mark change. But where Volkswagen did well is that they converted this mea culpa into a unique communication opportunity.

The most contemporary companies of our century are, without a shadow of a doubt, technology companies. They are essential and have a brand image that is human, modern and attractive. Let's look at what they're doing with their logos these days:

Illustration of a user-centred Ux design with graphic elements and data.

Let's compare the old Volkswagen logo with the new one.

Illustration of a user-centred Ux design with graphic elements and data.

The typography and shape of the new Volkswagen logo shares great similarities with Silicon Valley companies. This demonstrates Volkswagen's desire to be more in tune with its era: the digital era. What better for this purpose than to use a simple two-dimensional logo, approachable, but which inspires a certain legitimacy, while being easily transferable from one platform to another. This logo can easily be interchangeable with different color schemes and can be illuminated at your Volkswagen dealer as well as on your car. Just like an Apple product.

MODERNITY

With this new identity come other new attributes; a futuristic electro jingle and a female voice to accompany it. This might seem trivial, but in truth it's quite audacious for an industry that is historically masculine, even associated with misogyny. Here again, a sign that Volkswagen wants to evolve and live with the times. And, whether we agree or not with these changes, the communication made around these elements successfully marks Volkswagen's desire to turn the page. A bet which is risky but which has the merit of modernizing the brand and the automobile industry in general.

Finally, here's a quote from Volkswagen's Marketing Director on these developments: "We have created a new holistic global brand experience across all channels and touchpoints. In principle, the aim in future will not be to show a perfect advertising world. In our presentation, we want to become more human and alive, adopt more of the customer's perspective and tell authentic stories."

And you, what do you think of this story and their branding?

Tell us everything in the comments.

Technical

King Lion movie 2019

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ANIMATED FILM, LIVE-ACTION OR MOTION CAPTURE?

In recent years, the great classics 2019 version of Disney have amazed us: “Dumbo” by Tim Burton, “Aladdin” still available in certain cinemas or even “The Jungle Book” a digital feat.

Here's how Disney decided to renew its image: rework all these great animated classics into films made on computers.

The distinction between animated film, live action or motion capture is becoming more and more precise. Neel Sethi was for example the only real actor in The Jungle Book, he interacted with animals made entirely of computer-generated images.

But it is with The Lion King that Fairview Entertainment studios once again push the limits by offering a film created entirely on a computer and hyper realistic.

During an interview Jon Favreau, chief producer of The Lion King himself admitted to not knowing whether it was an animated film or a "live action", he even added that it was not of neither. He wanted to offer us images worthy of a BBC animal report and which in no way resemble visual effects made on computers even if the animals speak and behave humanly. The trailer available here:

No scene in the film was filmed in real life. Jon Favreau scouted Kenya, Africa, collecting images of natural landscapes so that they could serve as a source of artistic inspiration. Once in the box, these live shots were undoubtedly digitally retouched, in order to match the graphic style of the rest of the scenes. But be careful, this is not “performance capture” or “motion capture” either.

In fact, the actors and artists recruited only lent their voices: James Earl Jones plays Mufasa, Donald Glover is Simba, Beyoncé Knowles, Nala… A great casting which adds to the impatience of the fans. In addition, no animals were actually filmed, the artistic and design team only took inspiration from nature to make the animals seem as real as possible. Some behind the scenes images available here, English subtitles available:

So we were impatiently waiting for July 19 to finally be able to appreciate the results of all the efforts of the design teams! In the meantime, we offer you 3 new facts about the cartoon from our childhood:

  1. The Lion King was originally going to be called "The King of the Jungle" until the team realised that lions don't live in the jungle...
  2. Simba, Sarabi, Rafiki and Pumbaa are Swahili words. They mean lion, mirage, friend and stupid.
  3. For the scene involving Scar and the hyenas, Disney took inspiration from Nazi photos. Who would have thought!

And you, do you have anything new about The Lion King? Write us all about it in the comments.

Trend

Best music sharing app

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SPOTIFY, music 2.0

"YOU CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT A PERSON BY LISTENING TO THEIR PLAYLIST."

Since Spotify's official launch on October 7, 2008, the music industry has radically transformed. We could return to the history of illegal downloading, streaming, and complaints that major labels and artists' use of the Spotify model is unfair.

But it might be more interesting to learn more about the best ways to use this platform. If you want to dig a little deeper into the history of Spotify and how it works, visit: https://spotify.design.

CREATE, SHARE AND DISCOVER

Are you organising an event? A good way to create a playlist that will delight everyone is to create a collaborative one. Then all your friends can add their favourite songs!

Right-click on the name of your playlist, you can then activate the “collaborative” option. Then share the link with your friends and colleagues and prepare for the best or should I say the worst?

WEEKLY DISCOVERIES AND THE NEW RELEASES RADAR.

Every Monday and Friday, Spotify generates a list based on your favorite artists and songs and helps you discover new gems! The list of 30 songs is not always what you expect or like, however, you will find at least 3 to 5 favorite tracks. Another feature is to follow your friends, if they have an open account you will be able to see what they are listening to at the moment and listen to their playlist at the same time as them. You will find this feature at the top right of your screen.

Tip: If you don't want to wait every week or use your radar, click the info button on one of your custom playlists, then click “Create similar playlist”. This will then create a new playlist with the same number of songs and of the same style.

PODCASTS

Another Spotify feature is podcasts. This option offers a good alternative to music. For me, it works really well when travelling. It's also a good option for learning more about a particular subject while working. Find inspiration or gain skills for free without any effort, all the classic subjects are covered, whether they be sports, arts, music or politics.

Do you have something to share/teach yourself? Why not start by creating your own podcast? Download the Anchor app and create and download your own podcasts for free.

New to Spotify? Transfer your playlists from other apps and listen to them anywhere!

Don't panic, you can transfer your existing playlists on other music platforms to Spotify. The Soundiiz website is a great way to do this and it supports all the services you would expect. Another great feature is the ability to listen to music when you are offline. Simply download your playlist to your device when connected to WIFI and you will always have access to your favorite songs.

"Spotify recently said it expects 20% of content streamed on the platform to be something other than music in the near future."

Jam on Spotify: revolutionise your evenings out with friends!

Since Spotify launched in 2008, the music industry has evolved dramatically. Today, we present to you a feature that promises to transform your evenings: Jam.

What is Jam?

Jam is a collaborative Spotify feature that allows your friends to join and add tracks to a shared playlist, whether you're together or remotely. Imagine a night out with friends where everyone can contribute to the playlist in real time 🎉.

Setting the scene :

You're organising a party at your house. Everyone arrives and, instead of fighting over the choice of music, you launch a Jam. Everyone adds their favourite songs to the playlist via an invitation link or a QR code. The result? A musical atmosphere that pleases everyone and a memorable evening where everyone feels involved 🎶.

The benefits of Jam :
  • Real-time interaction: Your friends can add titles instantly.
  • Shared Control: The host can allow participants to control volume and playback.
  • Inclusivity: Even friends without a Premium subscription can join and add songs.

So, ready to give Jam a try at your next party? Transform the way you listen to and share music with Spotify Jam. Make every moment together a unique and collaborative musical experience 🎧✨.

OUR WHATZ'HAT PLAYLIST

Here at Whatz'hat, we have created a playlist called "Saigon Vibes" which is updated from time to time by one of us. Since we have different nationalities, ages and, of course, musical tastes, the playlist will cover a wide range of genres.

It was my turn to kick things off, so I've chosen 20 tracks that I listened to a lot during my time in Saigon. You can expect instrumental and experimental hip hop or more danceable French and techno tracks. They remind me of the chaos of scooter traffic or one of the many secret cafés with their little garden hidden in the back yard.

Feel free to share your favourite playlist in the comments 🪕🥁🎷

Beau Visser

Artist

JAGO, artist

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JAGO, The stone sculptor

THE POPE IS NAKED!

Jago is a thirty-one year old Italian artist, passionate about the art of sculpture. One of his mentors is Michelangelo (1475-1564), nothing to do with the new pizzeria that opened down the street from you or with the Ninja Turtles! Mich-mich (for those close to me) is known for having painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (1505-1512) does this remind you of your history books? Basically the Sistine Chapel is the Pope's house in the Vatican. And this Michelangelo painted this famous fresco called “The Last Judgment”. You know, that big painting with the two guys reaching out to touch their fingertips? Well, it’s him!

Jago wonders what Michelangelo would have done today if he had had access to social networks. Imagine being able to follow the evolution of this painting in time lapse on Facebook! Jago doesn't want to miss this and then films all his creations. I grant you, Italian modesty is there, but that's how we like them, and perhaps also with their mini red swimsuits in summer on the beach. The idea conveyed is that it is perhaps more interesting to see how the work is made rather than the final work itself.

“The Pope is naked” is one of the sculptures for which this time lapse idea is interesting. While this sculpture of the Pope was on display, Jago received a message from his father telling him “Mich-mich, the Pope resigns himself and takes off this religious dress”. Jago takes the sculpture home and literally begins to undress it with his tools. Version 2 of the sculpture was born and… the Pope is naked! Grazie Jago.

By the same artist

Visual Portfolio, Posts & Image Gallery for WordPress

Jago is full of interesting resources and concepts. Above is a small example with the “Mineral Muscle”, the “Train” and “Escalibur”. Did you know that the plastic AK-47 is the most popular children's toy in the world? The real one is easily found in Congo at the same price as an Xbox®.

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Technical

Creating your brand logo

by user

Hello readers!

Today I reveal to you all the secrets of making a logo. This is a mission of the highest precision and the end result must be perfect! This is why all aspects must be thought through beforehand. Going through the choice of colors, shapes and the desired emotion. We will end with a podcast on this subject. Sophie Bodineau, founder and graphic designer for What'zhat design Agency, will analyze 3 logos for us.

Now to the real subject.

THE MEANING OF COLOURS

Color is what is noticed first, it will be connected to your brand and visible on all your communication media.

Each color has a meaning, an unconscious connection in the minds of people (especially in Western countries). This is why it is very important to think about the keywords for your business.

– Red represents paradoxes, love/anger, bravery/danger, zeal/prohibition

– Green represents renewal, growth, hope, nature and luck

– Yellow represents light, ego, knowledge, friendship and joy

– Blue represents security, stability, loyalty, wisdom, trust and science

– Pink represents tenderness, romance, femininity and beauty

– Orange represents communication, dynamism, enthusiasm and fun

– Black represents power, mystery, elegance, simplicity and rigor

Attention ! Each psychological association about colors can quickly change depending on cultures, current events, years, personal history and trends.

For more information, please visit these websites: code-couleur.com and Pantone.

THE MEANING OF SHAPES

If you use shapes in your logo (sometimes brands only use typography) this will have an impact on the perception of your brand's values and identity. To reach your target you must know how to recognize the brain's unconscious associations about certain shapes.

Here are the most common and what they mean to most people:

– Rounded shapes: welcoming, warm

– Square and rectangular shapes: serious, stable and balanced

– Triangular shapes: power, hard

– Organic shapes: flexibility, natural

– Spiral shapes: introspective, inspiring and continuous

– Vertical lines: hierarchy, superior and strong

– Horizontal lines: communication, calm and serene

The advice is to use shapes sparingly, overdoing them can make understanding difficult. A good logo is clear and readable. You can also create shapes without actually adding them using the positive/negative shapes technique, some examples here.

AN INTELLIGENT MIX

For a logo, anything is possible, any shapes and colors, however a graphic designer will always keep in mind the main message of the company and its key words. This often results in a coherent mixture. In the event that your client absolutely wants a triangle, with sharp angles, while he sells supplies intended for newborns, it is possible to soften everything by adding a very light blue for example. It's all a question of balance.

THE PODCAST

As promised, here's a podcast on the theory of choosing colours and shapes.

Plus, the analysis of 3 logos, above, created by the What'zhat team (in French):

WHAT DO THE DIFFERENT TYPEFACES MEAN?

As Wikipedia says, typography refers to the various typesetting and printing processes using raised characters and shapes, as well as the art of using different types of characters to make language legible, attractive and intelligible.. In fact, these are 3 of the main factors we take into account during our meetings with our customers.

First of all, this image will help you understand the differences between typefaces:

However, I can assure you that you don't need to know all these technical words in detail - I know you don't have the time! So I suggest you read on, which focuses more on the psychological aspect of each typeface.

Each font does not pair with any other. Having a good combination will allow you to create depth in your identity (this rule also applies to all your presentation materials and designs, thank me later for the tip). You will find right there, a link to a very good site which will save you from errors of taste. You will also need this website which lets you download your favourite typefaces.

THE IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONS

After choosing your colors, shapes and typography you will start to get a good first vision of your future logo. However, if you stop here you'll probably miss the best part: the emotions. Nowadays we no longer buy products the way we used to. Customers are looking (unconsciously) for a relationship with the brand. They no longer buy the product only for its characteristics but also for what the brand represents and conveys.

That's why you need to concentrate all the more on your logo. Try to play on one of the 6 emotions recognised by specialists as the strongest: joy, pride, confidence, curiosity, fear and guilt.

For example:

Desigual, a leading ready-to-wear brand, has created a logo that we believe represents many of these emotions very well. Thanks to the very organic shapes that seem to form an explosion of colours, Desigual hopes to arouse the curiosity of its customers. The clarity of these same colours is an obvious invitation to a feeling of joy and celebration.

Finally, the typography, which reverses at times, shows that Desigual doesn't hesitate to go against the grain and impose its sense of pride with a very bold typeface. In this excellent example, we can see that all these elements form a coherent whole that is entirely in keeping with the brand.

YOUR LOGO IS FINISHED!

Now is the time to enjoy your logo and display it everywhere. But remember that time flies! You need to be flexible when faced with a constantly changing environment. As explained above, the meaning of colors, shapes and typos can change overnight depending on events. Don’t hesitate to change or modernize your logo when you feel it’s time. Don't be nervous! Your customers will be surprised in a good way and will talk about you during the coffee break! It is good and positive for them to see that your business is evolving and following trends. Evolve your logo intelligently, follow your strategy already in place and stay in line with your brand image and your values.

For example:

Paypal, which offers online payment methods, has not only evolved its logo in line with its environment and current trends, but also in line with its own history. Back in 1999, very few people were using this service. The Internet was only two years old, so as the company has grown in importance, it has also become more confident in its approach to its logo, with fuller letters, brighter colours and an overall look more suited to a leading company.

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Expat living in Ho Chi Minh City

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HI EVERYONE!

I'm Lucie Spillebout, and I've just finished my internship at the graphic design agency What'zhat in Paris. Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. So I wanted to write an article about this internship and the fact that I lived for 2 months in this huge city and economic capital of Vietnam: Saigon.

Firstly, I wanted to come to Vietnam. I didn't yet know in what context, when or for how long. Initially, I thought I'd come here as a backpacker, but I came as an intern, which enabled me to combine the discovery of a country with work experience (so the road trip will be postponed). I wanted to come here because, after my studies, I want to move to another country, probably an Asian country, for a few years. I'd really like to immerse myself in this culture, which intrigues me.

EVERYTHING HERE IS CRAZY!

At first, the Vietnamese are great, they are all smiling. Well, not all, but ¾, because seeing tourists all day long must be exhausting in the end. But they all smile, and, the most adorable thing, are the children who wave at us or come to say “hello”. I remember take a bike ride through the jungle near Can Tho and passing houses, every other house I heard the inhabitants say hello to us.

Secondly, here stress is not a way of life compared to France. People are calm and don't run around. Like in a restaurant, for example, it's very rare for everyone to be served at the same time, waiters don't run around, you don't hear stressful remarks coming from the kitchen, and service is done with calm and a zen attitude. I've seen scooters break down on the side of the road and the driver calmly fixes it on the side, whereas in France we'd tend to get excited.

DRIVING IN HO CHI MINH IS DEFINITELY AN EXPERIENCE WORTH TRYING OUT!

In order to move around in the same way as the Vietnamese, I downloaded the Grab app. Grab is Asia's Uber, but here most of the shopping is done by scooter rather than car. Unfortunately, I didn't hire my own scooter as I don't know how to drive one and I didn't want to risk accidents on the other side of the world. And I'm not good enough at driving Mario Kart...

The most impressive thing about their driving is the red lights - you'd think you were at the starting line of Mario Kart, once the light turns green all the scooters go off at the same time and in all directions. You're being overtaken from left to right, everywhere.

What's more, their driving is quite noisy, and here the indicators are used very little, unlike the horn, since they drive where there's room on the road. They use their horns to warn others to turn, to overtake on the left or right, or to cut through a junction... (I wonder how the drivers know where the noise is coming from, knowing that all the vehicles are honking...).

NOODLES, RICE, MARKETS AND MORE!

I also tried some typical Vietnamese dishes like “Phở” which is a rice noodle soup with meat and herbs, “Bún chả” and “Bún thịt nướn”, which are noodle-based dishes. of fine rice, with pork and vegetables. The shape of the pork differs between the two dishes and the “Bún thịt nướn” contains spring rolls and peanuts.

The dishes here are all based on rice, noodles or rice noodles and meats. I visited the rice noodle factory in Can Tho in the Mekong Delta after visiting the floating markets.

I also tried some typical South Asian fruits such as small bananas, mangosteen and dragon fruit, but I didn't try the durian. This fruit is notorious for its repulsive and very strong smell, which is a fact and the smell is comparable to that of rubbish. In fact, they are strictly forbidden in airports, much to the annoyance of the Vietnamese.

At work or at home, we have gotten into the habit to order on Grab food and have it delivered directly to the site. This meant we could access food from other districts quickly and easily. At work, we often ate together, either in the restaurant or at the agency.

During my work placement, I worked and lived in Thao Dien in district 2, which is more of an expatriate neighbourhood. I met a lot of French people there, but also Americans, South Africans, Irish...

I mainly spoke French and English, so I didn't learn many Vietnamese words, just how to say bonjour "Xin Chao" and merci "Cam on". The Thao Dien district and the city of Ho Chi Minh in general is not a pedestrian zone, so it's not very easy to get around on foot here, which is why I mainly got around on a Grab scooter. District 2 gives you the opportunity to eat all types of cuisine, being an expatriate district, you can find all types of restaurant here. Last but not least, the area is quite quiet, which is nice for walking around in the evening when the traffic is lighter than during the day.

In district 1, or the hypercentre, you can also find all types of food at all prices. If you want to find cheaper food, you still have to get out of the expat or tourist areas. There are also a lot of markets, and I went to one in the city by Bén Thành the one of Bà Chiểu and one in district 10.

MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

I wanted to write this article for 2 reasons, firstly because it was my first professional experience abroad, and secondly because I don't think I'll ever be able to find a similar working environment in France.

I did my work placement with the What'zhat design agency, which was set up 1 year ago by 2 French expats living in Vietnam.

Working here, or rather working at What'zhat, means working independently and having objectives to achieve each week, so I had to learn to manage my timetable and my daily tasks. So I had to learn to be independent and rigorous in my work to prove that they were right to trust me and let me be independent. I really appreciated the weekly meetings to analyse what I'd learnt, explain what I was planning to do for the following week and talk about our personal and professional feelings.

I had 3 main missions:

  • The first is business development, i.e. enriching the company's customer file by prospecting on LinkedIn.
  • Secondly, I was responsible for referencing the website on directories, or netlinking, to improve the e-credibility of the What'zhat website and increase its visibility.
  • And finally, my last main task was to develop the agency's Instagram account, and to monitor and develop sales on this platform.

I found it a rewarding experience, as it enabled me to learn more about how companies work, how they sell and how they canvass customers. I was also able to discover how SEO works and a company's brand image on social networks. What's more, this working method has enabled me to learn more about myself, my autonomy and my way of seeing and approaching work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9sfqk5gaYI

Have you ever been there or worked there? Tell me about your experience in the comments.