33 Brands that Surprise

Some people don’t like surprises. Others can’t get enough. Similarly, surprise plays a major role in some brand identities, while others do not tolerate much of it.

You may not wish to find a surprise on your bank statement, but you’d be disappointed if you didn’t find a few in a fashion magazine. No customers want things to be boring, which is where absolute consistency with no variation can lead. People like pattern, routine, clubs, affinity groups, etc., but in the words of Aphra Behn, “Variety is the soul of pleasure.”

Consider what role surprise can play in any brand identity you help build.

Curzon Cinemas
Subtitle.
Michael Salu

The brand identity developed for Curzon Cinemas stakes a claim on a common graphic element—brackets—but varies their use through clever, lighthearted applications throughout the program, including signage, coupons, and other amenities. Even without the brackets, the identity is strong enough to be easily identified.