In a world where retail never stands still, where familiar brands sit at the heart of everyday shopping experiences, even long-established identities need to evolve to stay relevant. For Heart of England Co-operative, the challenge was to take a much-loved local brand and bring it in line with a more modern, cohesive visual identity.
In the fast-moving world of retail, where every store, shelf and sign plays a role in shaping how a brand is experienced, consistency is everything, but achieving it across multiple locations is rarely simple. From in-store signage to promotional print and marketing materials, even the smallest inconsistency can dilute a brand’s impact and confuse the customer journey.
This case study explores how a core set of brand guidelines was developed and brought to life across a wide range of retail touchpoints. From defining a refreshed visual identity to implementing it across print, signage and in-store communications, discover how thoughtful design and practical application came together to create a cohesive, confident and instantly recognisable retail brand experience.
“The guidelines AlphaGraphics helped us to develop are invaluable to our business, as its vital we always remain on-brand with all our internal and external communications.
“AlphaGraphics’ team did a great job helping us develop and roll the new brand out across our print and marketing materials – we would recommend them to others thinking about a complete brand refresh.”
The Heart of England Co-operative required a complete refresh of its brand guidelines, focussing on its supermarket stores in and around Coventry.
The brand’s core Co-operative food branding has been used since the mid-2000s. Although the Co-operative’s brand had evolved drastically, franchise limitations meant that the Heart of England Co-operative food stores continued to use the old, dated style.
The team at Heart of England wanted to develop a modern and friendly brand that would engage its customers. It needed to be seamless and work across all stores and areas of the business.
We already provide marketing, print and design services to the Heart of England Co-operative, so when the opportunity arose to refresh their core branding, our team was a natural partner to support the journey.
The new visual elements of the brand were approved by the leadership team and rolled out in stages, starting immediately. From there, we supported Heart of England Co-operative in updating its in-store printed materials, including point of sale, to ensure every customer touchpoint reflected the refreshed brand identity.
This included the design, print and implementation of a wide range of new materials across their retail estate, such as external signage, window graphics and pavement signage, in-store wayfinding, and point of sale materials for call-outs, promotions and seasonal events. AlphaGraphics’ design and marketing team continue to apply these brand guidelines across the ongoing projects we deliver for Heart of England Co-operative, ensuring consistency and longevity across all retail communications.
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