If it ain’t broke, play with it

Why retailers should have fun with their distinctive brand assets

Martin Hopkins explains why the best brands are no longer just building codes – they’re playing with them.

In recent months, brands have been subverting, cropping, inverting – even killing – their distinctive assets, also known as brand codes.

Kellogg’s reduced its name to just “OG” to become the original gangster of the breakfast table.

Heinz swapped its logo out for foods intrinsically linked to its products – fries, beans, toast – in its “It Has to Be…” campaign.

Duolingo went one step further and killed Duo (its owl mascot) altogether as part of a tongue-in-cheek brand stunt.

But this isn’t about ripping up the rule book or brand guidelines. It’s all in the name of code play – or in Duolingo’s case, code drama.

So, what is code play, and why do we need it?

Code play is the deliberate subversion of a brand’s distinctive visual or sensory elements, like logos, colours, slogans, or sounds. It’s a way to re-engage your fans, get noticed by new audiences, and show confidence in your brand codes.

When used consistently and relentlessly, brand codes become subliminal shortcuts – a colour, a typeface, a sound that instantly triggers your brand in someone’s mind.

But repetition alone has a downside. Over time, it makes your brand feel commonplace – part of the furniture. Especially in today’s content-flooded channels, where attention spans are short and distractions are infinite.

Sometimes, a gentle poke in the eye, ear, or nose is needed to get your audience to notice you again.

So why, after years of building up visual equity and brand discipline, would you suddenly mess with your codes?

Because consistency gets you recognised. But play gets you noticed – or more precisely, noticed again. Most brand play isn’t about appealing to strangers. It’s about rekindling the spark with your loyal followers.

Types of code play

There’s no one way to play – but here are some of the most common (and clever) approaches:

Substitution

Replacing a code with something new.

Like the recent Share a Coke cans, where, in Australia, the Coke name is replaced by “Bogan,” “Maaate,” or “QueenBee”, but still in that unmistakable Coca-Cola lettering.

Reduction

Stripping your codes back to the bare minimum.

Like the Kellogg’s OG campaign – just two letters, but the script is so recognisable, it lands instantly.

Collaboration

Partnering with another brand and adopting some of its codes.

Like KFC going green and gold for the Ashes, or Adidas Sambas reimagined in snakeskin and velvet through a collaboration with Gucci.

Addition

Probably the most common – adding something seasonal or symbolic.

Think Santa hats on logos at Christmas or rainbow overlays during Pride Month.

Each of these is a way to say, “We know our brand. And so do you.”

Who should be playing more?

Only brands with strong, recognisable codes should be playing, and plenty of our brands are more than ready.

Brands like Anaconda, Bunnings and Chemist Warehouse have such strong codes, it seems a crime not to play with them – from Anaconda’s shouting logo and bright orange to Bunnings’ aprons and sausage sizzles and Chemist Warehouse’s house logo or yellow façade.

Key takeaways

For brands keen to have fun with their codes, here are the top considerations.

Don’t play too much

Unless you’re MTV or Google (circa 2015) with ever-changing logos, play works best when it’s occasional and well-timed, not all day, every day. Otherwise, it just becomes the norm.

Don’t play if you’ve been naughty

A product recall or scandal is not the right time to get playful. You’ll come off as tone-deaf.

Don’t play with everything

Would Tiffany & Co still feel like Tiffany without that signature blue? Would Macca’s be Macca’s without “ba da ba ba ba”? Choose the elements you fiddle with wisely.

Play isn’t just for Christmas (or Pride Month)

To really stand out, think beyond the obvious dates. What causes truly align with your values – and your audience’s?

Play your way

Even in festive periods, avoid tired tropes. Bring your brand’s personality into the moment.

Play all the way

Don’t just slap your logo on something. Be a real partner.

KFC didn’t just switch colours for the Ashes – the brand leaned in, getting fans to wear bucket hats in the stands. That’s commitment.

You’re not too posh to play

One of my favourite examples is Hermès during COVID. The brand added elegant horseshoe decals outside its stores, spaced 1.2m apart to guide social distancing. A simple, on-brand twist that turned a regulation into a moment of brand charm

Code play is a useful tool for flexing your brand muscles, re-engaging audiences, and getting noticed again. And with today’s smaller budgets, it pays to play with what you already have. So why not have some fun?

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This article first appeared in Inside Retail.

Martin Hopkins in Creative Director at Principals.

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