«The chicest thing is when you don’t exist on Google.» (Fashion designer Phoebe Philo). From the protection of online privacy to the Million Mask March, the search for anonymity is slowly superseding the quest for celebrity and giving rise to new codes and aesthetics. Brands are following suit and using anonymity as a way to differentiate themselves and instill creativity into their branding strategies. People looking for 15 minutes of anonymity, brands debranding themselves: is vanishing the best way to truly exist?

1. How anonymity became
the new chic and other
(de)branding stories
Vanishing
identities
#1 - December 2013 - Cécile Maury

2. Introduction
“The chicest thing is when you don’t exist on Google.
God, I would love to be that person!” - Fashion designer Phoebe Philo
• “TMI” (Too Much Information)
After years of online extimacy and oversharing, Internet users are increasingly interested in
protecting their privacy and are starting to reconsider their relationship with social media.
These last few months the Snowden affair has, of course, accentuated distrust.
• Incognito is the new chic
Online anonymity as the new grail: in an era of information overload and online exhibitionism, not
being on the Internet (remaining “ungoogleable”) means rising above the herd.
• New branding strategies: evolving identities
Brands are exploring new, more creative ways to promote themselves as a response to a growing

3. “Mass observation is a global phenomenon. And we are
recording aspects of our lives for each other. God
knows what the next generations of historians will
be able to do with the sheer number of pieces of data
we’ve collected through lifelogging and these other
phenomena.
We’ve seen our culture become more exhibitionistic but
we’ve also seen people become more uncomfortable with
too much information. That’s the tension that we’re
going to see playing out over the next decade.”
Prof. Henry Jenkins, University of South Carolina
Source: BBC News Technology, “How much lifelogging could
you tolerate?”
Total recall
MemotolifeloggingcameraGoogleGlassKaptureaudio-recordingwristband
1
2
3
Lifelogging means people cannot really opt out.
It’s not only about what YOU share; it is about what other
people might share about you.

4. Choosing when to appear and when not to
Untagging oneself, browsing anonymously, cloaking*
86% of internet users have taken steps online to remove or
mask their digital footprints – ranging from clearing cookies to
encrypting their email (Pew Internet 2013 survey)
* Cloaking:
“You can imagine a service
that says, I don’t want
my name to show up on any
social services for the
next three hours”
Foursquare CEO
Dennis Crowley
(Source: NY Times)
Escaping surveillance engines. “Untag me” t-shirts.
Pixelhead, anti-facial recognition mask by German
artist Martin Backes
4
6
Managing one’s digital footprint
...”Faceless ME” is a VPN service used to surf the web anonymously
5

5. An•o•nym•i•ty
n. pl. an•o•nym•i•ties
The quality or state of being unknown or unacknowledged
Artist Diane Meyer’s embroidered pixels
7

6. Faceless artists
“I think Andy Warhol got it
wrong: in the future, so many
people are going to become
famous that one day everybody
will end up being anonymous
for 15 minutes.”
Banksy
8 10
11 12
9

7. “This exhibition explores the various
strategies and projects of revolt and
self-empowerment in the face of these
overpowering standards that we can
never satisfy.
It shows that not only outsiders and
critical artists are developing their
very own subversive methods to escape:
even popular culture long ago started
to respond to the glut of faces, to
the notion that we should forever be
recognizable.
Faces do not disappear: they hide
themselves behind masks, are manipulated
beyond recognition, sometimes
disfigured. This exhibition on faceless
faces, then, can also be read as an
ironic, angry, and above all justified
criticism of our media reality.”
Brigitte Felderer,
University of Applied Arts Vienna
“Faceless” exhibition
13
Parts one and two, Vienna, 2013

8. Faceless models
14 171615
Maison Martin Margiela AW2013 Givenchy SS2014 Craig Green AW2013 Scott James SS2013

9. Debranding:
How (not) to
DISAPPEAR
completely
“These days, brand experience is key and
the holy grail for many is to create such
a great experience, that there is less of
a need for overt branding or labeling: the
experience can speak for itself.”
Lucy Fisher, The Guardian, August 2013
18

10. Logo fatigue: a return to stealth wealth
exemplified by Louis Vuitton’s intention to reduce
the visibility of its monogrammed products in
order to regain a sense of exclusivity.
Customers have turned into connoisseurs and
are no longer impressed with logos which are
deemed vulgar and nouveau riche by educated
customers.
In China, “even an ayi, i.e. a maid, can buy LV”.
“Of course it would be easier for Louis Vuitton to boost its revenue; all it
would take would be to launch ten new products with the monogram product, but
down the road it’s not a good strategy”.
Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO
Source:“Has Logo Fatigue Reached a Tipping Point?”, Business of Fashion,
March 2013
19
1. Vanishing logos

11. Analysis / What’s in a name?
Share a Coke: focusing on customer experience
Spring/summer 2013: Coke replaces its branding with popular forenames
across hundreds of millions of packs
The focus is shifting from the brand to consumer experience
Coke retains its visual identity (color code, graphic design, iconic bottle) while
inviting consumers to be part of something larger
• A personalized experience
While Starbucks offers “on-site personalization” with baristas writing customers’
name on each coffee cup, Coke takes it one step further by suggesting that
everyone is already part of the “Coke family” (from the very early stages of
production, i.e. from the factory)
Consumers become an integral part of the product and of the brand
• Sponsoring precious moments
Consumers are not invited to buy a Coke just for themselves ; they are invited
to share it and, much more than a drink, they are invited to share a moment with
someone they love – and then to share it with everyone online!
The brand operates a successful shift from a material, commonplace reality to
a higher level, i.e. from utilitarian values to existential values.
The result - A massive success! By dropping its name and turning its product
into an experience, Coke not only stands out from the noise but also invites
consumers 1/to be part of the brand and 2/to adhere to “Coke” values, i.e.
friendship and sharing.20

12. • Asserting the brand’s iconic status
• Selling an experience, not just a product
• Creating a more personal relationship
with consumers
Debranding
Insights
In a context of infobesity where too many brands are competing, high
equity brands can use debranding to counter “logo fatigue” and distinguish
themselves.
Debranding allows them to: 1. stand out from the noise and 2. “elevate the
debate” by communicating existential values.
21

13. In the Harvard Business Review, Mitch Joel describes “a new generation of brands that are
without logo, built on pure utility and function, and are intentionally unbranded.”
2. Back to basics
“Many new entrants are producing these
customized and personalized — nearly
unbranded — products for an ever-growing
global consumer-base that is interested
less in the label and brand experience and
much more in something that can be uniquely
“them.””
“The maker movement is giving rise to
a new industry of individuals who are
creating products that are both completely
individualized and brand-less — and, thanks
to the Internet, available worldwide.”
Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/01/the-
rise-of-the-unbrand/
22

14. Analysis/ Debranded brand names
Commodity by Ferroconcrete: focusing on the product
An online ‘scent tailoring’ service funded via Kickstarter to provide an
alternative to a fragrance industry obsessed with branding. Although
Commodity does not adopt a debranding strategy per se, it does typify the
shift from brand to product/function, customized experience guaranteed.
• All that matters is the product
Commodity’s intent to focus on the product goes beyond the fact of reducing
advertising or eliminating celebrity endorsements. It is also expressed
through brand identity, from the minimalist yet refined packaging design to
the name “Commodity”. The notion of basic elements / raw materials is also
perceptible in the names chosen for the scents: Wool, Ivy, Paper, Moss, etc.
• A customized experience
A “scent tailoring” service allows the consumer to choose scents and test
them in his/her own home. He/she then receives the selected ones to his/her
doorstep, offering a very different experience from traditional retailers.
• Communicating on value for money
The brand’s main selling point – no advertising + no retail markup = more
affordable, quality products – is explicit and emphasizes the brand’s innova-
tive approach, which makes the most of the Internet to create short distribu-
tion channels (from producer to consumer) benefiting the consumer.
The result: A branding strategy focusing on the customer’s interest and
positioning Commodity as a no-nonsense, innovative brand. In an “industry
had been almost untouched by the Internet age”; Commodity is bringing
change and creating a new model.
23

15. • Maker movement
• Consumers paying for a product,
not for branding or advertising
• Value, simplicity, functionality
“Your product is your
branding”
Insights
Commodity, as well as other up-and-coming brands, exemplifies a
trend closely linked to the notion of debranding which is growing
alongside the spread of the Maker movement.
The “from maker to buyer” is gaining ground and questioning
traditional marketing tools.
24

16. From esoteric imagery to “punctuation bands”
using mathematical signs to remain ungoogle-
able, secret references are everywhere.
(Alleged) hidden meanings allow people to feel
part of a select community – insiders only.
27 28
61
26
3. Looking for signs
25
29

17. Analysis/ Twisting brand identity
Peter Saville for Lacoste. The British designer reinvents the
brand’s logo: 80 variations to celebrate Lacoste’s 80th anniversary. A a less
literal approach to brand recognition.
• A demythologized logo
The new designs retain the size and colour of the original logo (green).
The crocodile silhouette was also kept for about half of the logos ; the others
– some of which are squiggly others spiky or minimal – are very abstract
interpretations that can barely be recognized.
By allowing Saville to give free rein to his inspiration, Lacoste demonstrates
its ability not take itself too seriously and its appetite for creativity.
• Secret signs for connoisseurs
The fact that some logos are not easily recognized is a plus for the brand
in that it adds a sense of exclusivity – and thus complements the limited
edition strategy adopted by Lacoste. The Saville crocodiles become secret
signs that only connoisseurs are able to identify as Lacoste logos.
The result: By allowing its logo to be modernised and demythologized,
Lacoste sanctions a bold, inspired approach and proves its ability to
combine permanence and creativity. The brand also plays on consumers’
desire to be part of a select club of Lacoste connoisseurs.
30

18. • Logo fatigue
• Consumers’ quest for exclusivity
• Building a brand community
Reinterpreted logos
Secret signs
Code names
Insights
31
As logo fatigue is spreading, brands need to find new ways to
convey exclusivity.
Creative takes on brand identities through reinterpreted logos
but also through “secret” signs, code names etc. provide
a less literal approach to brand recognition and answer
consumers’ need to belong to a select community.

19. Debranding to achieve better branding
As individuals increasingly tend to hide their identity to protect their privacy, brands are also
experimenting with anonymity to create new branding strategies.
Debranded products, logo variations, code names: new expressions are emerging, deeply
changing the established rules of branding and transforming the brand-consumer
relationship.
“No branding is becoming increasingly popular.
One advantage that brands are looking for when
adopting this approach is prestige – being able
to demonstrate that they are a brand that is
so well-known or so cool that they don’t need
to shout about it, making obvious branding
unnecessary.
Less well-known logos are unlikely to get any
more renown without obvious use, but in some
cases the ability to buy brands that are not
well-known has become attractive to customers.”
Julia Dickenson,
senior associate at Baker & McKenzie
Source: World Trade Mark Review
Vanishing identities
32

20. For a complete report customized to your needs, you
can contact me by email : cecile.maury@gmx.com
Thank you!

21. Photo credits
1. Google Glass
www.google.fr/glass/start/ - www.crunchwear.com
2. Memoto
http://getnarrative.com/ www.gizmag.com
3. Kapture
http://kaptureaudio.com/ www.crunchwear.com
4. “Untag me” t-shirt
www.williamstites.net
5. Faceless Me
http://faceless.me/
6. Pixelhead
www.martinbackes.com
7. Diane Meyer
www.dianemeyer.net
8. Thomas Pynchon, The Simpsons
http://bleedingedge.pynchonwiki.com
9. “The Golden age” - Woodkid
http://noisey.vice.com/
10. Daft Punk
www.timeout.com
11. Invader
www.gameblog.fr
12. Banksy, “Exit Through the gift shop”
www.youtube.com
13. Faceless exhibition
www.facelessexhibition.net
14. Maison Martin Margiela AW2013
www.style.com
15. Givenchy SS2014
http://citizenchic.blogspot.fr
16. Craig Green AW2013
http://craig-green.com
17. Scott James SS2013
www.trendhunter.com
18. Absolut vodka no label
http://theinspirationroom.com
19. Vuitton’s logo free ad for China
http://luxurylaunches.com
20. Share a Coke
www.thedieline.com
21. Selfridge’s No Noise project
www.freshnessmag.com
22. Makers : The New Industrial Revolution Chris Anderson
www.gchicco.com
23. Commodity
www.kickstarter.com/
24. hugh MacLeod
http://gapingvoid.com/
25. Peaches Geldof’s O.TO. (Ordo Templi Orientis) tattoo
https://twitter.com/
26. Puma Shadow Society
www.puma.com
27. Beyoncé at the 2013 Super Bowl
http://music.yahoo.com
28. Alt J
http://www.altj.fr
29. Fauve
http://inthemorningmag.com
30. Peter Saville x Lacoste
www.dezeen.com
31. Lacoste no logo
http://tushmagazine.com/
32. McDonald’s logo-free add, France, summer 2013
http://www.cbnews.fr