G-sus is coming!

No, I'm not going to street preach about the eternal flames generously provided by the gay parade that took place yesterday in Bucharest, which btw., is a damn good thing for the cause of individual rights in Romania. Also, despite the apparently forgiving ad-line, I am not trying to excuse the behavior of the so called "Christian"/right wing counter - demonstrators (50 of whom were arrested for violence, one policeman ending up in a hospital).

Au contraire, my dear Dr. Watson, I'm going to preach about some very "gay" (for the average thug) things: self, wit and diversity.

As Jesus popped up as a subject while we were talking about the "33" factor, I thought to share with you an example of a brand that scores high when applying this criterion: G-sus, a Dutch (now international) fashion label.


The name

Featuring a great name, but also a credible cover story for the faint hearted (G-sus is a guitar chord), the name of the brand was the brainchild of Jan Scrijver, Angelique Berkhout (two freelance Dutch designers) and Peter Steenstra (ex - IBM). The name does more than just underlying the link with the underground musical scene, it sets the trend for the playful, intelligently controversial tone of the entire brand communication scheme. Last, but not least, it creates a vast space of potential imagery for advertising, names for a king size brand arhitecture and also an endless string of cute&questionable ad-lines. Think at it as an enchantingly devilish piggy ride, a metaphor built on Luke 8:26-39 (great questions & comments on the biblical text, btw:).


The symbol

Really, there isn't much to be said about it ;). Definitely an A (10) grade logo. It is a notorious, but not overused Christian symbol. In its present form, it features a distinct graphic treatment of a classic theme. Also it is a pretty simple symbol, easily reproducible in b/w, who works perfectly with the other brand communication elements (name, slogan, advertising, brand philosophy). Also, it scores high at the final design test: you can take away any part of it and you will end up with a fairly recognoscible design element.


The slogan

G-sus is coming! Well, you've heard it being said in every movie featuring the average manic street preacher, from "The Night of the Hunter" to "Johnny Mnemonic". It presents us with the same level of both contextual induced (aaaa....rather sexual) innuendo and (of course) deniability as the name. It's about the ecstatic, unstoppable power of a young and resourceful contender, about living the climax. Also, it has the viral quality of the early Christian mysteries, calling up memories of initiations in underground communities. When it comes to spreading the word about the new brand, I can't imagine a more suitable approach. The slogan delivers not only a strong, positive message for both direct and indirect interpretation, but also gives hints about the preferred way of delivery - word of mouth.


Brand philosophy

The brand stands for individuality, great sense of humour & self mockery and rebellious, thought provoking lack of censorship both in design & advertising. An early preview of the things to come was provided by the moment chosen for launching the brand - friday, 13.


Advertising

The advertising is centered on one photo ads or simple sign centered illustrations, with the name featured proeminently in the ad-line. More on the brand, fashion, people & architecture on the G-sus website.