Blyk - an “open code” brand
Blyk is an invite-only free mobile network. Once you’re on the network you can invite your friends to join. To seed the network we have street teams working at colleges, universities and gigs, talking with people about Blyk and signing them up. We have also put keywords at the end of several videos that are making the rounds on the Internet, like this one by Elin Svensson (you can text WHISPER to 82595 to get your code to join Blyk):
Many people have asked me about these videos and about the design of the Blyk brand identity. Here’s some background on what we’re doing and why.
When we started designing the Blyk brand we took a deliberately “open code” approach. By “open code” I mean, much like in open source software, that there is an initial hard core - the kernel of the operating system if you like - and that we allow and even encourage variation, iteration and interpretation of the brand identity. Our goal is to create the Blyk brand together with our members, to invite them to take part. I believe this is the best way for us to compete with the traditional “pay-for” mobile networks and to build a real emotional tie with our audience. This idea is carried into the illustrative style used in our launch visuals.
The first step was the logo. This consists of an abstract mobile screen containing a typographical symbol called a caret. You’ll see this above the 6 on your keyboard, it means “insert here”, symbolising the fact that Blyk relies on its members’ willingness to participate. Because on Blyk, in terms of relevance, you get out what you put in. The name “Blyk” itself is deliberately recessive; you’ll usually see it somewhere near the logo in a web address, or as part of an illustration, but we won’t be too uptight about it.
With the logo in place we had to generate a visual identity for the brand. Blyk is an “open code” brand, not a “control brand.” I believe that most important brands these days are built on conversation rather than control. Rather than trying to create a brand that was representative of the youth market, the idea was to allow members to represent themselves. It was time for us to hand the brand over to the audience. Our dozen launch brand visuals were created by young artists, chosen through a competition from the London College of Communications, interpreting the logo in their own way.
Since, at this stage, the business model was still a secret, entrants in the competition were given a brief consisting of the logo, the words “play”, “mobile” and “free”. The response was excellent, with enough work to fill a gallery space in Soho. The Blyk team then judged the work democratically and a dozen winners were chosen. This is not a brand identity that will be ever be finished, but one that was designed to evolve and develop over time. So, as well as a cash prize, all the winners began what was to be an ongoing relationship with the brand.
The animations are just the most recent fruits of these relationships, which Blyk sees as integral to its youth credentials. They were produced by the illustrators, with our extended team providing whatever level of assistance was needed to take their concepts to finished animations.
To summarize, the Blyk brand has a few necessarily fixed parts, the logo and the tone of voice for instance. Beyond that, it has a loose recognisable aesthetic. You could describe it as optimistic. You don’t get this by holding three-day long marketing team meetings and having a hundred people policing the brand. What you do have to do is get young creatives together, share with them the hard core and the brand values, give them proper resources and pay them properly, and let them go.
In addition to the lovely video by Elin Svensson - WHISPER, we’ve also put three other animations online: Beatrice Richardson - TREE, Thomas Knowler - FRIENDS and Noboru Oikawa - CELL.
We’ll be posting more videos in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.
33 Comments Add your own
1. Blyk - an “open cod&hellip | November 14th, 2007 at 10:14 am
[...] Bolle Blu Notizie wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt … mobile networks and to build a real emotional tie with our audience. … Rather than trying to create a brand that was representative of the youth market, the idea was to allow members to represent themselves…. [...]
2. Design Dyke | November 15th, 2007 at 5:18 am
The videos are *very* cool though I notice a dodginess with the comments on you tube - I think you know what I mean…
3. Niki | November 16th, 2007 at 11:10 am
Just texted ‘WHISPER’ to BLYK - nothing happened??
4. jonny-b | November 16th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I just wrote about this on The Shelf, I reckon other networks will offer a similar service in time
5. virtually a librarian &ra&hellip | November 19th, 2007 at 10:32 am
[...] written by a group of bloggers, including social network guru, danah boyd. Shift6.net is an “open brand” lab project by the creators of Blyk. Just as “shift 6″ equals “insert here” on your [...]
6. Kees Winkel | December 9th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Nice thoughts and well executed. Brands like these may also be called concept brands. There are only a few attributes and the rest is what people make out of it, not just the brand but eventually also the products and services that are developed.
A very good example is Kesselkramer’s ‘Do’ brand (end of the 90’s, earlier 2000). I think Blyk is exiting and has a great potential in the future, not just with the current proposal.
Kees Winkel
7. Karolis | December 17th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
can someone give me a vaid blyk invite code plz email it thank you
8. about.blyk.com » Bl&hellip | January 7th, 2008 at 8:58 am
[...] we started designing the Blyk brand we took a deliberately “open code” approach. I’ve written a post on what we’re doing and why. This coincides with the launch of [...]
9. Dave | January 30th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Can someone plz send me an invite thru email cos i reely wanna get blyk it looks soooo cccccoooooooollllll
10. badboy | February 7th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
can someone please email me a invite code
11. Shift6 Admin | February 18th, 2008 at 11:25 am
For those interested in invite codes: Text JOIN to 82595 to get your Blyk invite code. See more details at blyk.co.uk.
If there are any problems getting the invite via text, please contact Blyk - start via Forums, for example (http://forum.blyk.co.uk/forums/).
12. Blyk Marketing « St&hellip | February 22nd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
[...] approach to branding and communication. The idea is explained in more detail on the brand form shift 6 but essentially it means that the brand has certain key characteristics such as the character (^ - [...]
13. riot | February 24th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
i need a blyk code plz send me 1 flames_g@hotmail.co.uk
14. pj | March 7th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
please ivite me please i beg of you people please i beg you .. email me in on wastemanonroad@hotmail.co.uk
please i really need this
15. gary | March 12th, 2008 at 8:11 am
get your code free here http://www.blykcode.com
16. vipul10 | March 14th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
here is an invite code
8399rm3r
17. marcus | March 26th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
i need a ivite code cud sum 1 send me 1 plzzzzzzzzzzzzz
18. robert | April 9th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
can you send me a blyk invite code
19. robert | April 9th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
can you send the invite code plz
20. adam | April 9th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
plz could u send a invite code to my email adress thugfolyf@hotmail.co.uk
21. Jennifer | April 11th, 2008 at 5:46 am
I think that people should communicate, no matter where they do it – in real life or in Internet.
22. Caleb | April 16th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Hey everyone, could someone please send me a blyk invite code.. i have tried for weeks with no luck..
thanks in advance!!!!
surfingcalebdude@gmail.com
23. ashley | April 18th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
someone plz send me a invitation code plz unicornstriker@hotmail.co.uk. thnx
24. nikki | April 22nd, 2008 at 2:09 pm
can someone please send me and invitation code please i have bin tryin to get one got agesssss… fankoo xxxx
babynikki69@hotmail.co.uk
25. matty | April 23rd, 2008 at 9:30 pm
can someone please send me and invitation code please i have bin tryin to get one for agesssss thanks
clarke.16@hotmail.co.uk
26. crocjock | April 25th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
I have tried a few of the codes posted around the net and most are no longer valid. But two I have used TODAY from Summer magazine are working 100%.
Either text the word SUMMER to 82595
or text the word VIRAL to 82595
Texts charged at your normal text rate.
27. DUMISANI | May 1st, 2008 at 6:56 pm
PLZ SEND ME 1 @ MRD08@HOTMAIL.CO.UK
DESPERATE
28. Chronic Masturbator | May 4th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Hey guys, Blyk lookin cool because I always forget to top up lol. Anyone send me an invitation code? would be appreciated, thanks in advance
Suikoden_2k@hotmail.com
29. WANTS BLYK | May 9th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
please can i get a blyk invite code sent to aaronlovegrove@gmail.com
30. blyk invite code | May 10th, 2008 at 9:55 am
please ,
I would like to have a blyk invite code sent to maersk@hotmail.co.uk
thanks…
31. tabz | May 10th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
hay guys plz can some1 jus put da invite code up! soo any 1 hu needs it (inculdin me) can use it plz and thank u!xxx
32. tabz | May 10th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
HAY guys my invite code is c6d9jkvz! enjoy xxx
33. Lisa xx | May 17th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Heyy.. could some 1 please send me a invite thruu email? i really wanna get thaa blyk sim card,, it looks so good!
Thabkyoou xx
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