Making the brand that makes musicians
Andertons Music Co. began life in 1964 as a family-run guitar shop in Guildford, arriving at a unique time for British music. The business has grown over the years and, along with the physical store in Guildford, is now the UK’s largest online musical instrument retailer, with a turnover in the tens of £m and a warehouse that processes thousands of shipments each day.
Andertons has always been more than just a shop. Their YouTube channel has become essential viewing for musicians around the world, boasting 275,000+ subscribers and a cult following that has inspired pilgrimages to Guildford and the Andertons store. Despite this huge growth, they’re still owned and run by the same family that started it all back in 1964!
We wanted to help tell their incredible story – and to continue to do so for years to come.
Defining the brand vision
We sought to imbue Andertons’ brand with the authenticity that is apparent when speaking to their staff and customers. We discovered that Andertons truly had a ‘Why we do this thing’. They seem more interested in helping their customers make music than selling them instruments – as a result, they happen to sell them a lot of instruments! So we didn’t invent this vision, we discovered it, and this was at the core of everything we did.
Visual Essence
We sought inspiration from the music industry, referencing the heritage of instrument manufacturers and record labels, while also looking forwards, to streaming services and brands. We wanted to reflect the visceral experience of a live gig, while contrasting this with the beautiful craftmanship of the instruments themselves.
Deliverables
Pull provided a brand plan alongside a comprehensive visual identity redesign incorporating brand guidelines, uniform, POS, Store interior/exterior and website design.