Member Article

Coley Porter Bell strikes a chord with Martin Guitar rebrand.

The iconic guitar maker beloved by John Mayer, Kurt Cobain, Ed Sheeran, Joan Baez and more gets refreshed brand and new purpose “to unleash the artist within”

Global branding agency Coley Porter Bell, has partnered with the legendary Martin Guitar to evolve and strategically reposition the heritage brand.

Founded in 1833, C.F. Martin & Co. is known for making the world’s finest acoustic guitars with unparalleled craftsmanship and legendary tone.

Coley Porter Bell’s brand refresh builds upon the history of the brand to help propel it forward as it approaches its 200th anniversary.

To answer the brief, Coley Porter Bell looked beyond the rational attraction of Martin Guitar, with its revered craftsmanship and legacy roster of musicians and looked towards creating more of an emotional connection with established and future players; resulting in a new purpose “to unleash the artist within”.

The new strategy and purpose is brought to life through a new verbal identity and refreshed visual system that comes alive like a musical composition, feeling both improvisational and rhythmically disciplined.

The new visual system includes an optimized logo, expressive typography, a refreshed imagery style that puts the artist at the forefront, an expanded color palette and a new design system, with animated textures and motifs - inspired by the frets and strings - that represent the unique expressions of the artist and the different emotions that music creates.

The new color palette reinforces the use of Martin Guitar’s famous green as their core brand color, a shade that has donned their guitar cases since the company’s founding - and also enlists fresher, more vibrant colors to amplify palette and give richer visual depth to the brand’s expression.

Coley Porter Bell’s refresh not only elevates and creates a more modern self expression but it also stays true to the guitar manufacturer’s history throughout the creative executions, making it feel both premium and accessible.

The new look extends across all customer touchpoints from social media and the brand’s website, new advertising and trade show experiences, offering a unified look that engages established Martin Guitar enthusiasts, as well as the next generation of artists.

In addition to the core refresh, Coley Porter Bell flexed the identity for the brand’s custom shop to communicate the bespoke and personalized experience one has purchasing a custom guitar from Martin. The branding illustrates how every detail is considered, using schematics and technical drawing, supported by a refined color palette and photography style that celebrates the makers and the materials that make up the custom experience.

**Chris Martin IV, Executive Chairman and Owner of C.F. Martin & Co said: **“Martin Guitar is my family’s legacy, and the new brand strategy will have a lasting impact on the business. Our guitars, ukuleles, and strings have been cherished by generations of musicians and music fans, but we wanted to embrace the future of music too. We now have a fresh, bold new direction, all while staying true to who we are.”

Thomas Ripsam, CEO of C.F. Martin & Co. said: “As someone who has admired and played a Martin Guitar since my teenage years, and then stepped in as the first non-family CEO, I knew that evolving a brand heavily associated with quality, craftsmanship and history would be no small feat. The work Coley Porter Bell has done with us on the rebrand beautifully positions the Martin Guitar brand for years to come.”

Jenn Szekely, President of Coley Porter Bell said: “We were entrusted by the Martin family and company to help this iconic American brand tell its story to its current and next generation of artists. This opportunity to reposition a brand so rich in legacy and artistry was an honor and not taken lightly.

The new branding has the artists at its heart. From the dedicated loyalists who bond over Martin all around the world to the new and emerging players discovering the Martin tone and experience for the first time, Martin is the partner that is helping them “unleash the artist within”.

And in the words of legendary singer, songwriter and musician David Crosby: “Martin is a company America should be really proud of because they’ve never compromised, they’ve never done less than their best, they continually make the best instruments in the world.” – David Crosby: Byrds & Crosby, Stills and Nash *

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Business News .