life after re-branding: endless confrontation of the bee and the egg

Beeline and Mobile Tele Systems (MTS) are two largest mobile phone operators in Russia. They have been sharing mobile market since early nineties and one of the strategies they both almost simultaneously used to win clients was re-branding.
Beeline was registered as a brand in 1993. The logo was very simple, but incredibly clumsy looking. Use of blue background suggested professionalism and conservatism, while white italic type, that looked like it was done in marker pen, on opposite, suggested informal attitude, as if the letters restricted themselves from being fun. Odd-looking yellow bee in the centre added a bit of contrast to the logo. An image of “busy bee” spoke to businessmen.


The brand identity existed over ten years and only in 2005 Beeline decided to change it to more noticeable, aggressive and glaring. Although main requirement was incorporating a bee symbol and same blue into new identity, Wolff Olins (London 2012 and Tate identities) got rid off blue and left remaining just colours of a bee, that, to be fair, looked more like colouring of a wasp. New identity turned the idea of bright communication and emotional bond between a client and the mobile operator into practice. Beeline is perceived as more stylish, dynamic, cheerful and active. However, there is a disadvantage of the new brand identity. Beeline entered mobile market as a company offering expensive services (“busy bee” image), the main target audience after re-branding appears to be young people.


MTS was founded in 1994. Their logo was more complicated. Use of three equally bright colours and three totally different fonts made it awkward, ugly and confusing. The logo was trying to explain itself but explained too much at one time.


MTS corporate identity also existed over ten years and completely changed in 2006, shortly after their main competitor’s re-branding. MTS knew its clients well; they are family, active, young and independent people. New symbol communicated simplicity, sincerity, humanity, strength and trustworthiness. It is a symbol of life, creation, beginning and logic of development. The colour reflected courage, energy, dynamics, innovation, emotion, leadership and victory. Two parts of a logo communicates balance. Its simplicity makes things clear and best understood. MTS promotional campaigns are always personal, symbolic and associative.
Use of egg as a company symbol is an ironic question in our minds: what came first – the chicken or the egg or, in this case, the bee or the egg?

new formula of russian fashion

E2O is a new fashion brand by young dynamic Russian designer Evgeniya Ostrovskaya. It is fresh, original, whimsical and surprisingly affordable. Natural fabrics, like cotton, wool, linen and silk, used in all garments, and brown paper and one coloured ink of graphic prints of packaging gives the brand environmentally friendly feel, as well as the sense of harmony with nature.
E2O packaging mirrors brand values and the concept, which is new edge of contemporary style, translated in graphic prints, blending of traditions of different cultures, setting a mood and reflection of soul’s state. Its style brings romantic philosophy into routine consumerism.

man with a movie camera

“Man with a movie camera” is one of the most famous documentaries by remarkably talented film director Dziga Vetrov. Filmed in 1929 in USSR it is one of ten world famous best documentaries of all times. Vetrov (1929) himself refers to it as “an experiment in the cinematic communication of visible events. This experimental work aims at creating a truly international absolute language of cinema based on its total separation from the language of theatre and literature”.
Vetrov’s concept of documentary film lies in that the screen must not copy usual perception, as there is “cine-eye” that is more perfect than human eye. It is possible to capture processes hidden from human eye, using different technical abilities of a camera. Following organisation of material allows exploring reality much deeper. Vetrov believes that camera is objective and therefore a film can take a spectator anywhere, there is no limit: wedding, funeral, woman giving birth.
Man with a movie camera travels around a city and films, as it first seems, random episodes and facts from life of the big city like a real life endless panorama. Gradually from the chaos of “life caught unawares” arises cinematographically significant image of contemporaneity. It is a visual code that is open for interpretation. However, it is documentary and there is no story line or actors, rational human mind is searching for symbolism in the relationships between typography of street signs and the picture. The film captivates and absorbs the spectator, as there is no continuous story, each visual form is unique and it is impossible to miss single image or even a frame.
This film became the main achievement of the Soviet documentary in the period before The Second World War owing to unusual angles, extreme close-ups, double exposure and fantastically masterly montage based on rhythmically musical principles. Vetrov always searched for unity of the subject, technology and rhythm. He achieved all that in his “Man with a movie camera” to the extent that it still amazes our imagination.