Creating a new brand for BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, VW, Audi & Ford...
The definitive new electric car charge brand has arrived...
Powering the road to freedom…
Traditionally electric cars have been about compromise.
They were not about freedom, spontaneity and convenience.
With few charging stations available, journeys required planning.
Times are changing fast…
Introducing IONITY, the ultra-fast charging station, providing customers with new levels of freedom…
THE FIRST PAN-EUROPEAN HPC NETWORK
IONITY is a dynamic joint venture with the mission to build a pan-European high-power-charging (HPC) network for electric vehicles to facilitate long-distance travel.
It has been created by the super brands of the automotive world, BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche, other automotive manufacturers are also being invited to help expand the network.
RATHER THAN CREATING A CLOSED OPERATING SYSTEM…
The brand sets out to develop the most popular and user-friendly network for vehicle charging. While inner city charge points are terrific for top-ups after getting there, IONITY sets out to help you get there, and beyond.
The greatest challenge facing electric vehicles is their range. Without high-speed charge points on the way to more distant destinations, things can get very difficult.
Launching approximately 400 HPC stations by 2020, IONITY will make long-distance journeys far easier and represents an important step for the widespread adoption of E-mobility, regardless of car brands.
With a capacity of up to 350 kW per charging point, the network will use the European charging standard Combined Charging System (CCS) to significantly reduce charging times compared to existing systems. The open approach and European distribution is expected to increase the appeal of electric vehicles.
“The first pan-European HPC network plays an essential role in establishing a market for electric vehicles. IONITY will deliver on providing customers with fast charging and digital payment capability, to facilitate long-distance travel.”
MICHAEL HAJESCH
CEO, IONITY.
Finding the best locations involves integrating existing charging technologies and infrastructure initiatives. The investment underlines the commitment that the participating manufacturers are making to E-mobility and relies on international co-operation across the industry.
SomeOne has created a strategic approach to the new visual operating system for IONITY.
Building on the existing word mark and colour, we have developed a new narrative for the organisation with a supportive and emotive visual brand world.
“The automotive sector is seeing super massive change in almost every regard as electric vehicles become the preferred consumer choice. The infrastructure is being built now and the companies that build it will be the super brands of tomorrow. IONITY is one of those brands benefitting from our progressive strategic approach.”
SIMON MANCHIPP
FOUNDER, SOMEONE.
The new brand symbol for IONITY, the red kite, is described by the RSPB as a ‘magnificently graceful bird’.
It is known for its elegance in flight and ability to stay aloft effortlessly.
Harnessing the thermal power of the sun, and the elemental power of the wind, it can fly for hours while hardly flapping its wings.
Like IONITY, it represents efficient, powerful, and free movement across Europe.
Without limits.
The new icon will be a central part of the brand experience.
IONITY harnesses high power technology leaving drivers able to benefit from the greatly reduced time needed to achieve sufficient charging. The visual brand world for the service now includes digital depictions of rising columns of air… as used by the Red Kite to cover significant distances.
“I’ve worked in marketing for over 20 years and this project has been a highlight. From day one, SomeOne brought a remarkable amount of enthusiasm to the project. Their energy mixed with a smart, proven and professional approach took our brand to the next level very swiftly. It’s worth noting that their team made the project work efficiently and kept things easy to engage with — they even made it fun!”
FRANK PLASCHKA
HEAD OF MARKETING, IONITY.
The branding has been carefully considered to enable all associated brands to seamlessly integrate and amplify branded communications using the IONITY toolkit which is all hosted in CloudLines.
The thermal structures are designed to facilitate partner branding, by adopting their colours. An editable file of each thermal structure is available from the CloudLines and is easily amendable to fit the colours of the partner brand.
The brand identity is brought to life through the use of the thermal structure brand properties. These tell the story of IONITY and create a distinctive and modern brand system.
The thermal structures are based on the physics of thermal air currents and the way that gliding birds use these to effortlessly maximise their flight.
We use this as a metaphor for the effortless lift that IONITY provides.
We mapped the movement of gliding birds as they rise via thermo-activated air.
They circle around columns of heat activated updrafts — the birds paths map ever increasing spirals called ‘helicoids’ — it was these shapes and these movements that inspired the launch portfolio of supporting brand assets.
HELEN 'HELICOID' ALTOUNGARIAN
DESIGN DIRECTOR, SOMEONE.
Iconography also plays a key role in IONITY unspoken communications — after all, this is a multilingual brand operating across Europe.
They are used across many important touch-points like the HMI charging station screens, as well as in digital and print communications.
“It would be all too easy to fall into developing a purely functional brand for this sector, but research demonstrated the deeper resonance that a more emotive mix would offer here. While all utilitarian aspects have been rigorously addressed, the branding benefits from the additional, more expressive aspects”
HELEN ALTOUNGARIAN
DESIGN DIRECTOR, SOMEONE.
