OTL Rebrand
A modern new look
Branding • Logo Design • Style Guide • Motion graphics
The brief
Create a modern new look and accompanying brand framework that brings the OTL (Overseas Trading Limited) in to the modern era and sets it up for future growth.
The project
OTL’s previous logo lacked the refinement needed to represent its position as a category leader with a professional identity.
To begin the project, I conducted research into the competitive landscape and held sessions with internal stakeholders to uncover what truly set OTL apart. These insights became the foundation of OTL’s first brand book and guided the rebrand, ensuring the new identity aligned with both company goals and market expectations.
I defined the company vision, positioning statement, and core values, and created the tagline “Save time. Sell more.” – a concise expression of OTL’s mission to support retailers at both the service and product level.
With the brand foundation in place, I shifted focus to the logo and other graphic elements. The previous all caps design felt unrefined and, unintentionally, resembled an emoticon for despair – an issue made more problematic in the Far East, where OTL had the majority of its sourcing network. To address this, I developed a new lowercase logo that conveyed OTL’s forward-looking strategy while presenting a more approachable and contemporary identity. An accompanying graphic element constructed from an arrangement of circles served to create further recognisable visual elements for the company.
With the framework and logo in place, I presented the new brand identity to the Board of Directors for approval. After sign-off, I produced printed brand booklets and style guides to support the internal rollout, giving employees a practical reference for maintaining consistency across customer interactions and marketing materials.
The project strengthened OTL’s brand identity and established a solid foundation for future growth, ensuring a unified and forward-looking message across every touchpoint.
The new identity was rolled out across multiple touchpoints, including print, digital, and physical signage at the company’s headquarters.
The rebrand was well received, elevating OTL’s professional image to support new business development, attract top talent, and instil a sense of pride among existing employees.
“You did a brilliant job from start to finish on the OTL rebrand and bringing it to this point. You are innovating whilst carefully considering the content, meaning and positioning of your concepts and thoughts. You have the gravitas and intelligence to be an integral part of our culture change program and I would see you as a shoe in for a cultural architect.”
Managing Director, OTL
