Douglas

As strong as individual beauty

A radically new look that reflects a new self-image.

As the result of a strategic reorientation, Europe's leading beauty retailer no longer wants to be perceived only as a distributor of major cosmetic labels, but wants to distinguish itself as a strong brand. This step required a visual new beginning that radically breaks with the look that has been established for over fifty years. We gave Douglas a new appearance: Contemporary, but not fashionable. Clear, but at the same time strong in character thanks to its striking details. A new start that self-confidently positions Douglas as a brand and no longer just as a reseller.

Awarded with:

iF Design Award 2019, Corporate Identity
Corporate Design Prize 2019, Corporate Design Relaunch – Award
Corporate Design Prize 2019, Logotype Design – Award

Parfümerie Douglas

The origins of Parfümerie Douglas GmbH date back to 1821, when John Sharp Douglas founded a soap factory in Hamburg's Speicherstadt. The first Douglas perfumery opened in 1910. Today, the company's headquarters are based in Düsseldorf. With more than 2,400 stores in 19 countries, Douglas is the market leader in Europe.

"For a traditional brand like Douglas, it is important not to age with its customers, but to attract young buyers."
Tina Müller,
Chief Executive Officer, Parfümerie Douglas GmbH

Do it for you!

The new logo – a crisp and clear wordmark set in sans-serif capital letters – conveys a strong personality. Typographical details such as the different widths of the letters that are characteristic of the typeface, create a captivating appearance. We deliberately chose this distinctive version over a more balanced approach. This solution is better suited to the contemporary concept of beauty that Douglas aims to convey: More than ever before, individual beauty is a function of a strong personality and individual traits. Beauty is grounded in self-confidence. It is authentic and genuine, and rooted in inner strength. Beauty means having the courage to be yourself – because nothing is more attractive than uniqueness.

It’s no accident that the joined letters form the English verb “Do.” It can be read as a subtle invitation to take the appearance into one's own hands and dovetails nicely with the new campaign slogan #doitforyou. The two joined letters can also be used independently of the wordmark, as an autonomous logo. This application is particularly suitable for digital media, but also makes a strong impact on packaging, and can be embossed into eyeshadow, for example.

"For me, the result is an absolutely timeless logo that keeps the future of communicative in focus and has the potential to become a great icon."
Heidrun Angerer,
Executive Creative Director, Peter Schmidt Group

Heidrun Angerer
Executive Creative Director