Brand irony and brain candy

A free (my italics) no-wi-fi zone which blocks signals so people can sit and have a real uninterrupted conversation, free of personal communication devices. But not free of Kit Kat. So not really free. You can't use it unless you avail yourself of the brand messaging. 

Creating quieter brands

One of my students asked last week how to create a Quiet Brand.

Within days my colleague Jack Yan posted these photos of a new Absolut packaging.

The bottle shape, cap and molded seal are all iconic, so the visual branding is intact. Absolut has built market recognition on the silhouette of their packaging. The removal of the large and bold brand name doesn't detract from the profile.

The other great aspect of this limited edition is that it is cause-related. The quieter brand ironically calls attention to itself since it stands in opposition to the traditional packaging. You ask, "Why did they do it?" and the light shines on the cause.