Personal branding for DC
Portfolio / 4 years proiect
In a unique departure and exception from our usual clientele, we embraced the challenge of personal branding by collaborating with Dacian Ciolos, the former Prime Minister of Romania, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, President of Renew Europe, and Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Our colleague, Alexandra Crăciun, was an integral part of Mr. Ciolos' communication team for almost four years. She worked on enabling him, through branding, to effectively communicate his vision and connect with a broader audience.
The challenge: creating a Personal Brand for a politician in a very dynamic political landscape
The challenge presented by Dacian was unique: frequent shifts within the volatile political landscape of Europe. In terms of branding, we needed to design a personal brand that could adapt to these ever-evolving political roles while maintaining relevance and a consistent message over time.
His dynamic political career demanded a comprehensive branding strategy that would not only align with his evolving roles but also transcend political party boundaries. Traditionally, politicians tend to rely on their party's branding, but we were determined to create an independent system that could effectively communicate his multifaceted mission. This decision marked a crucial step in crafting his unique identity and distinguishing him from the typical party-centered political branding.
Our approach
As we endeavored to effectively convey Dacian's identity as a Member of the European Parliament, we began by anchoring our efforts in his current role. However, our vision extended beyond the immediate context, considering scenarios where the brand could stand the test of time, adapting to his evolving roles in the future.
To accomplish this, we developed a comprehensive system encompassing colors, fonts, and communication styles that not only reflected Dacian's essence but also effectively conveyed his message. This strategic approach ensured that, regardless of where the brand was displayed, it maintained a recognizable and cohesive visual identity.
Logotype: we devised a specific way to present the brand name, and Family fonts: we selected a versatile (Work Sans) font family that could be consistently applied across various media platforms.
A decorative element: to integrate Dacian's two current roles, we introduced a distinctive decorative element showcased within two rectangles. One rectangle, in blue, symbolizes "Renew Europe," a cornerstone project of his, while the other, in pink, mirrors the color of his political party, "Reper."
These rectangles act as a constant visual presence across all of his online platforms, fostering immediate recognition and association with his impactful work.
A specific color palette: that works together with the decorative elements (a dark blue specific to this brand, a medium blue used in the identity of the European Union; and a light blue, the same used in Renew Europe branding).
A collection of illustrations: with a contemporary monochrome style used for ornamental, complementary, but also functional purposes (eg: decorating sections of the website, video cards or social media covers).
A specific way of compositions and layouts: (event visuals, covers, podcast): As Dacian had numerous communication channels, including social media, official websites, and printed materials, we needed to establish a cohesive visual territory that could express the brand consistently across these various platforms.
Website
For the implementation of Dacian's personal brand, meticulous attention was paid to ensure that his official website accurately reflected the chosen color scheme, categories, and prominently featured his biography.
The focus was on presenting an extensive showcase of his activities and projects.
The homepage was thoughtfully designed to offer a comprehensive overview of Dacian, from both European and Romanian perspectives, allows visitors to grasp the depth and breadth of his multifaceted role easily.
To further highlight the diversity of his projects and enable in-depth exploration, we dedicated individual pages to each project on his website.
Sub-brands
When it came to social media events, we developed mini sub-brands for each project. This approach allowed each project to maintain its unique identity while still aligning with the overarching personal brand. These mini sub-brands were carefully designed to ensure a consistent and congruent presence across various social media platforms.
Reports
We developed two comprehensive public reports and our main approach was to continue the identity line, but also to give it a flavor:
The one for 2023 acitivy: the concept here was to illustrate the „zoom in/zoom out” on Mr. Cioloș activity. Zooming out on the global perspective, zooming in on the local events and activities. You can download the PDF from here and below you can find some previews.
One for 2019-2024.
2023
2019-2024
Podcast
We have also produced a series of short podcasts, comprising 21 episodes. Our concept was to give the listeners some quick and easy episodes they could listen to during a short break. These quick Q&A sessions offered a glimpse into Dacian's perspectives on the European Parliament, providing concise insights whilst maintaining his online presence.
Production
Throughout our involvement in this project, we had the opportunity toproduce a series of events, photo-video materials, multiple online live transmissions, interior design, and promotional content. Here are the key highlights of this extensive efforts:
Live Social Media Broadcasting conducted from 5 different studios situated in diverse cities – Brussels, Sibiu, Brasov, Bucharest, and Cluj-Napoca – spanning a continuous 5-day period;
Live on Social Media with a television set approach from Bucharest;
Live on Social Media from a cinema with a television set approach from Cluj-Napoca;
3D interactive rendering of 4 physical offices (Brașov, Cluj-Napoca, Roșiorii de vede, Zalău);
Conference in the rural area of Romania;
Team & thanks
By successfully translating the personal brand into practical applications, we not only enhanced Ciolos' online presence but also established a brand that can seamlessly adapt to his evolving career. This comprehensive implementation allowed us to effectively communicate his dynamic message to a broad and diverse audience.
In summary, our collaboration with Dacian Cioloș was an innovative departure from traditional political branding. We created a dynamic personal brand that can withstand the ever-changing political landscape, offering flexibility and congruence. Our approach to implementation ensured that the brand extended seamlessly across various media and effectively communicated his message, marking a significant achievement in the realm of personal branding for politicians.
Client: Dacian Cioloș and its cabinet;
Brand manager: Alexandra Crăciun;
Brand design: David Stroe;
Design: Iulian Tărnăuceanu
Photography: ShutterUp
Video teams: TheBrothersM, Sunny Side Up, Alex Borundel