Summary
In the spring of 2011, RealNetworks was about to deliver a powerful new product—a digital music utility that automatically organizes and repairs iTunes libraries. Not a bad idea, right? Because if you've ever taken a close look at your iTunes library, you probably know that it has its share of duplicate songs, missing album art, typos, and great swaths of empty fields where some genre tags could be really helpful.
But this solid product needed a name and a brand. And RealNetworks tapped LiveAreaLabs to provide both. Our first step was to build a brand platform that articulated the idea behind the product's straightforward but powerful nature. Next, we had to ensure that our brand idea was both unique and authentic. So only after we had tested and validated the idea against competing products and the needs of potential customers did we undertake the naming exercise.
We began with 15 names, which were then narrowed down through a collaborative session with RealNetworks. After a global trademark search helped narrow down the candidates yet again, we arrived at the final name—Rinse. Then we came up with and acquired a URL for the product website—rinsemymusic.com.
The branding process included extending the brand architecture we had established for RealNetworks in 2010. This step ensured a long-term strategic direction by helping Rinse form relationships with other RealNetworks brands and then draw upon those relationships to further develop its identity. Likewise, it allowed other RealNetworks brands to draw strength from a relationship with Rinse.
Finally, we began exploring the visual identity of the Rinse brand with a range of visual identity marks that each distinctively expressed the function and feel of the product. Color and type drew inspiration from other RealNetworks brands, while unique visual elements in each direction cued into the simple, powerful, and beautiful nature of the Rinse product itself.
From Our Client
"Once again we have LiveAreaLabs to thank for helping us bring a new brand to life. Their brand naming and positioning process created a new identity that was both fresh and meaningful, and their excellence in brand identity visual design irresistibly captures both the function and the feeling we wish to associate with Rinse. I can always count on LiveAreaLabs for an exceptional level of partnership, dedication, and overall creative excellence."
Judith Bitterli
Chief Marketing Officer, RealNetworks
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