Scotmid Co-operative, the Scottish retail society, adopted a new brand identity in 2019 that incorporates the Co-operative Marque developed by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA). The rebranding coincided with the society’s 160th anniversary, and the logo was developed in house. The society had been using the new logo on all materials produced since the start of 2019, with plans to roll it out across all outlets. [1]
Design and History
Scotmid, formally the Scottish Midland Co-operative Society, traces its origins to St Cuthbert’s Co-operative Association, founded in July 1859 when 12 Edinburgh workmen met in Grove Street to form a co-operative society. [2] The society is also a user of the global Co-operative Marque. [3]
In 2008, Scotmid’s brand was refreshed by the design agency Elmwood. The work included a new strapline, “At the heart of Scottish communities,” and was adopted across new and refurbished outlets from August 2008. [4] A separate in-store refresh in 2012, reported by Talking Retail, mentioned a “subtle change in the Scotmid logo” as part of a new store exterior for a new-look convenience store format. [5]
Scotmid notably did not adopt the 2008 or 2016 versions of The Co-operative brand used by many other UK consumer co-operatives, remaining a notable exception alongside the Lincolnshire Co-operative. [6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The 2019 identity incorporates the Co-operative Marque developed by the International Co-operative Alliance, a global symbol that identifies co-operative enterprises. [1] The 2008 Elmwood refresh introduced the strapline “At the heart of Scottish communities,” which was intended to communicate the brand’s community-focused positioning. [4]
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