Amphicar:
Rebranding
The Amphicar Model 770 is an amphibious automobile, launched at the 1961 New York Auto Show, manufactured in West Germany and marketed in the United States from 1961-1967, with production having ended in 1965.This made this project less of a rebranding and more of a rebirth of this classic brand. Because the brand stopped production so long ago it gave me greater creative freedom in the design decisions. Even with the creative freedom it was important that the design be well informed by the brand's past. Designed by Hanns Trippel, the amphibious vehicle was manufactured by the Quandt Group at Lübeck and at Berlin-Borsigwalde, with a total of 3,878 manufactured in a single generation.
A descendant of the Volkswagen Schwimmwagen, the Amphicar offered only modest performance compared to most contemporary boats or cars, featured navigation lights and flag as mandated by Coast Guard — and after operation in water, required greasing at 13 points, one of which required removal of the rear seat.
Nautilus: Mood Board
Each of these designs was created and named to represent a particular aspect of the brand that could be communicated to the client. With Nautilus the vision was of a brand that even Nemo, Captain of the Nautilus, would be proud to drive.
Neptune: Mood Board
With Neptune the intention was for the brand to emphasize the luxury that it would provide and the exclusivity of ownership.
Basilisk: Mood Board
Basilisk was designed with the intention of having the brand communicate a duality in nature. Since the brand is designed to be both a boat and a car this was designed to show that the brand could also be both the air luxury car with a sports car's heart.
Brand Pitch: Final
In order to show the client the design intent it was necessary to create a pitch to effectively communicate the concepts and tone of the brand. A motion graphic allowed for the amalgamation of ideas from the previous design work into a cohesive singular body that also conveys the tone set out for the brand. The motion graphic above acts as a fourth and final mood board to pitch the final design direction for the client.
Logo Mark
Using the pitch as a foundation a logomark and a logotype were created to represent the brand's new image as a cutting edge automotive manufacturer. The history of the brand helped to inform the design of the logomark as the "A" was the basis of the original Amphicar logo. To increase the recognition of the brand as something new and edgy the trident was added to speak to that aspect as well as the duality of the nature of the the Amphicar.
Logo Animation
It was also important to show the client the potential of their mark by exploring animated applications. This shows the potential for the both the logotype and the advertising potential this design direction can offer.
Television Commercial
A television commercial for a fictional car brand posed unique challenges as a designer. Most car commercials feature the car exclusively, in the case of this brand I had no car; so I created one. The creation of this vehicle wasn't entered into lightly, I didn't want to present the audience with a vehicle that couldn't live up to the challenges of a car and a boat.
To accomplish this I performed detailed research into other amphibious vehicles and the necessary design features that should be included. The final design, because of time restraints, was unable to illustrate the capabilities of the vehicle to transform. The design specifications included a hydrofoil, in the front and rear, that extend down after entering the water. A hydrofoil allows the body of the car to rise above the water. The wheels were also designed to play a specific role in shallow water navigation. The wheels are based on a concept for a wheel that changes shape; the blades of the wheel extending to act as a paddle wheel in shallow water.
Radio Spot
This spot was designed to communicate what this brand has to offer over the competition. This spot outlines the limitations of the competition and the benefits of ownership for the listener. While radio may not be as popular a medium as it once was this ad would be perfect for a podcast also.
Brand Guidelines
Finally, all of the design decisions were compiled into a final presentation. The final presentation in this case took the form of a style guide that fully outlines the brand presentation in great detail. The book below outlines everything from the history of the brand, typography specifications, and logo clear space.
Amphicar has been re-born under this new concept. The brand's heart, for exploring the land and sea, remains intact. This design allows Amphicar to be recognized as a brand that was born to adventures. This design breathes new life into the brand allowing it to continue to do extraordinary things beyond the roads.
