The new brand mark “has the ability to take on a multitude of material textures, nodding to the different worlds and ages the game can expand into”, continues Wayne. Hand-casting the new letterform and digitally translating it was a process that reflected the spirit of “meticulous detail” in the game’s play and a way of “celebrating true craftsmanship by creating a bridge between the real and digital worlds”, he says. For Ubisoft, this casted type is a symbol that “represents a collective mindset of the Anno community – fusing craft, the power of the human spirit and the ambition of building for future greatness”, explains the Ubisoft team.
Bringing on Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam to create Anno’s new strategy and launch campaign, the creative company has introduced the trailer for Anno: 117 Pax Romana: “We crafted a simple, yet powerful message to Anno fans worldwide: BUILD IT!”, says W+K’s creative directors Ed Olhagaray and Ramona Todoca. Ubisoft aimed to revolve the game’s new visual world “around themes of legacy and creation, connecting and galvanising its loyal community as well as new players”, says the press release.
As the common goal of all its players, the game publisher landed on ‘cultivating the joy of building’ as its new brand purpose for Anno, as this spirit of building “speaks to the time spent, the effort, the craft, and the progress” of the game, says Ubisoft. Whilst the launch has aligned with the build-up for the game’s new series, Wolff Olins’ Wayne Deakin concludes that one of the key drivers for the rebrand was to “celebrate the immense love and passion the community has for Anno as whole”.
