The Fishmongers' Company
Updating a brand through 9 centuries
“I am extremely proud of what the team has accomplished. Initially, we set out to launch a new website but with Silverback’s guidance, we quickly realised there was an opportunity to do far more. It was very important throughout the project not to ignore over 700 years of history in order to maintain the heritage and tradition of the company, whilst making it relevant for today. The branding piece has exceeded our expectations and we are all excited about the future for The Fishmongers’ Company and our charitable causes. Thank you Silverback!”
Gareth Coulthard
The Fishmongers' Company
Discover
The Fishmongers’ Company is one of the ‘Great 12’ livery companies, steeped in history. It was established in 1272, the original purpose being to oversee the selling of fish in the City of London to ensure that ‘none but sound fish be offered’. Today, the purpose of the organisation is to preserve and develop resources to make a difference; they find a way to be useful and relevant, building on their heritage and tradition. The company originally came to us for a new website to help explain their charitable causes and to raise awareness about the great work they do.
Design
We held a workshop with the Fishmongers’ team and quickly realised that the brand identity needed an update before we could embark on the website. There were many versions of the logo and Full Achievement (a display of all the heraldic components including the coat of arms) and there was confusion about the different charitable causes, so we set out to create some clarity for their brand architecture to make it clearer to prospective investors and beneficiaries.
The rebrand had to be very carefully considered, ensuring we held on to the traditional values, whilst making it relevant for modern day. We designed a new vector ‘Full Achievement’ based on our research. We then helped the company sort out the various sub-brands they had, redesigning a logo for The Fishmongers’ Company and the charitable trusts.
We created a clear visual identity system for the brand, which was then documented in a set of guidelines for each area of the organisation. This included printed materials, including stationery, roller banners and event invitations, as well as digital items, such as powerpoint templates, email templates and social platforms.
The website was designed from scratch in order to be more user-friendly and informative, showcasing their excellent charitable work.
Develop
Striking the right balance between heritage and modernity was key with this brand. All the feedback says that we struck the right chord and helped create some clarity within the organisation and with their stakeholders.
