Mobilpenge (Mobile Money) is a new revolutionizing payment system developed by Nets (previous PBS) and leading Danish payment institutions. As a new solution on the market it is important that Mobilpenge is established as a serious, but user-friendly payment system. Nets turned to Kontrapunkt for help with the design of a clear identity. 

The challenge for Kontrapunkt was to create an identity that expresses more bank than mobile. The solution is found in various elements of color and a pattern, which underline the safety of this simple product. Lars Bjørnstad, designer at Kontrapunkt, explains; "The blue-green color in the logo gives Mobilpenge a certain solidity. The zig-zag pattern signals transaction and at the same time illustrates that it is a fragment of a larger system". 

The new, strong identity includes logo, color scheme, pattern and typography and clearly differentiates Mobilpenge from other solutions. Secure and user-friendly – that sums up the design of this modern alternative to having money in your pocket.

Arla Unika is an innovation project created by Arla, the largest producer of dairy products in Scandinavia, in collaboration with leading Danish chefs. The aim of the project is to develop unique cheeses based on Nordic nature and fauna.

Kontrapunkt was asked to develop strategy, visual identity and a concept store for the Arla Unika brand. The challenge was to create a brand, which would support the Arla mother brand and make Arla’s image more attractive in the eyes of a new primary target group. 

The solution is a brand promise of redefining the dairy category and highlighting the sense of passion, perfection and belonging inherent in Arla’s identity. This is concretized through a design that accentuates the essence of the Unika innovation project; uniqueness, high quality and great craftsmanship. 

The new concept store recently opened at Copenhagen’s new food market, TorvehallerneKBH.

Kontrapunkt is behind the new brand strategy and visual identity for Koda, the Danish Music rights organization. 

Koda is undergoing a major transformation, which the organization wants to highlight in their graphic profile. “We have searched for an expression that both signals new times and keeps the positive from our past. The new logo, so well portrayed with the note, perfectly illustrates what we, as an organization, are meant to do”, says Managing Director Anders Lassen. 

Koda is an organization with several roles. It helps users get legal access to the music, distributes the money between the members and is also an active sponsor of the Danish music scene.

Designer at Kontrapunkt, Peter Folkmar, elaborates on the new visual identity: “We developed a scheme of tone-colors to reflect both the different roles of the organization and the diversity of the members. The note is placed like a copyright symbol to underline Koda’s role as a protector of copyrights. The black square expresses a serious and stable administrator and the letters have been changed to lower cases to also reflect that Koda is an accommodating and service-minded organization. The music is peeking out in the background, as a colorful halo, encompassing the diversity of its member and giving the logo a dynamic and vivid expression.” 

Kontrapunkt has given Koda a strong visual identity that reflects the organization’s vision of pro-actively entering the future. The new visual identity is being rolled out on everything from printed materials to signage, interior and websites.

Kontrapunkt‘s new visual identity for Red Cross has already been rolled out on everything from outdoor-banners, campaigns and web to all printed material. Now the charity shops are ready for a facelift and the first 30 out of a total of 217 shops are already in line. The new design is being implemented on facades and signage to enhance the organization’s character and emphasize the connection between the shops.

Erik Hove, manager of Red Cross’ charity shops, says: “The Red Cross charity shops needed a facelift, since the facades had become slightly fossilized. Furthermore the shops did not look homogeneous, and this inconsistency contributed to a diluted identity compared to other charity shops around the country”.

The challenge for Kontrapunkt was to design a look that is not too flamboyant for a non-profit organization where every penny counts. The solution lies in small design adjustments with great results.

A simple but strong symbol

The central idea behind the new design is the centralization of the classic, red cross-logo that is one of the world’s strongest symbols. The cross has been given a warm glow through a slight red tone. The emphasis on the cross also strengthens the organization’s expression and makes the shops stand out from the mass of other charity shops around the country, while at the same time highlighting the connection to Red Cross’ other activities.

The new design has a dual function of increasing awareness of the shops and at the same time being the face of the company Red Cross. Linda Holmsberg, architect at Kontrapunkt, explains: “First of all, it is about generating awareness of the shops themselves as Red Cross shops and not just any charity shop selling second-hand goods cheaply. Second, it is about enhancing the direct connection to the well-known brand behind. In this way, the charity shops works as ambassadors for what Red Cross stands for.”

The first four shops have already implemented the new design and most of the remaining shops are expected to follow suit in the next couple of years. 

On the 5th of May 2013 it is the 200th birthday of Søren Kierkegaard, one of the greatest philosophical thinkers in Europe. Denmark celebrates the anniversary by a long row of cultural activities during all of 2013. To mark this event Kontrapunkt has designed a logo for the big celebration. The logo is inspired by ancient writing methods represented by a seal consisting of symbol, name and description. The historical references in the logo are incorporated in today’s modern context matching the ambition of presenting a historical character in a way that is relevant today.

Bergen Bybane receives "Vakre Vegers pris 2012", which is the design award for infrastructure in Norway. Last time someone was given the award was in 2008. Kontrapunkt is behind all design elements from overall branding to visual identity, and the winning design functionally supports the new and brilliant transportation system.

The jury applauds the design for its aesthetic qualities and the fact that it levers the experience of the light rail.

The Coca-Cola water brand ”Schweppes Abbey Well” is the official water brand at the Olympics in London this summer. Kontrapunkt has designed a new visual identity giving Abbey Well a distinct urban and British twist.

Abbey Well mineral water has been a member of the Coca-Cola family since 2008, but as a brand it has not been very significant or powerful. Vicki Bohlbro, Brand Manager from Coca-Cola, says: ”The Olympics in London provides a unique opportunity to be part of over one million people’s once in a lifetime experience. Therefore, it is important that we can make a breakthrough with a renewed and strong brand, and that is why we are very satisfied with Kontrapunkt’s new design that rethinks the position of Abbey Well in the market.”

Goodbye countryside – hello London
The new design is urban, dynamic and contemporary and positions the British bottled water closer to the target group – young and active people living in the city. Senior designer at Kontrapunkt, Mikael Tonning says: ”We have given Abbey Well an explosive and dynamic expression inspired by the life and energy of the city. It has nothing to do with romantic pictures of blue wells and green mountains anymore. That’s what everybody else is doing.” Instead the British flag has become a central element in the new design, drawing on the water’s roots and national pride. The purity, energy and good taste of the water are communicated in the explosion-effect on the label giving associations to an active life. Moreover, the new label changes the brand hierarchy by emphasizing Abbey Well in the foreground and keeping Schweppes as an endorser in the background.

The challenge was – together with the urban – to signal cleanliness and good taste. The answer lies in a traditional and gentlemen-like typeface on the label that is appealing to consumers, while a quirky and street art-typeface is reserved for other communication purposes enfolding around the product.

The news in international media:

http://www.thedrum.co.uk/news/2012/02/20/schweppes-abbey-well-celebrates-olympic-water-status-kontrapunkt-redesign

Mads Quistgaard, Kontrapunkt’s Design Director, discusses the subject of provoking commercials on Danish morning television. Among other commercials he comments on the billboards for Mad Men’s next season (no. 5) and why these have generated huge debate in USA.

Watch the program here:

http://go.tv2.dk/morgentv/id-48658488.html

For two weeks Kontrapunkt has had the pleasure of housing a design team from the design agency Kan & Lau in Hong Kong.

Kontrapunkt and Kan & Lau join forces on the project of PMQ, which are two buildings in Hong Kong facing a future as South East Asia’s new and largest creative design hub. The PMQ buildings were previously used to house married policemen, which explains the name “PMQ” (Police Married Quarters). The ambition is for PMQ to become an incubator where young and upcoming talents within design, architecture, fashion, art etc. can develop their creativity.

Together with Kan & Lau, Kontrapunkt is behind a new visual identity creating the right surroundings and atmosphere for the PMQ.