Many Kenyans are stuck at home in an effort to remain safe and avoid contamination, and as a result, a lot of them have found new ways to entertain themselves. Kenyans are becoming more creative with their content with more time on their hands.
One such Kenyan is an illustrator called Simon Kaguru who has gone viral on Twitter for his creative spin on local brand logos. He re-created the logos of several Kenyan companies including Safaricom, Kenya Airways, Java, and Telecom.
In recent weeks, we have been feed with messaging encouraging cleanliness or sanitizing, wearing masks, as well as staying home. However, what if brands decided to use their popular logos to spread hygiene awareness due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Kaguru took the words that have been edged into the minds of Kenyans for the past few weeks and included them in four of Kenya’s biggest brands.
Coronavirus – Kenyan Companies Logo edition Part 1 featuring@SafaricomPLC @KenyaAirways @javahouseafrica @TelkomKenya
CC: Non-commercial license. pic.twitter.com/iOSINkeS4D
— KAGURU (@SymonKaguru) April 7, 2020
On his Behance profile, he says that he borrowed the idea from another creative, Jure Tovrljan who imagined how logos from various brands would look like during this time. Jure used logos from Mastercard, Starbucks, NBA, Nike, Mobil, Olympics, LinkedIn and more. Jure’s creatives went viral back in March and Simon’s attempts to do something similar seem to be just as successful.
1. Safaricom
Safaricom has already done quite a lot for its customers in light of the economic situation caused by Coronavirus. They introduced a ‘Bonga Points For Good’ initiative that allows customers to shop at most local supermarkets with a specific number of points. They increased the M-Pesa transaction limit in March, as well as cut transaction fees for anyone sending money that is less than Kes 1000. However, they could still do more, like twitter user @derroh_ said, “Hey just like you did with Eliud Kipchoge, I think the first Logo will look good on you.”
Hey @SafaricomPLC just like you did with Eliud Kipchoge, I think the first Logo will look good on you. https://t.co/B3L4yuwrHm
— 67 (@derroh_) April 8, 2020
2. Kenya Airways
To comply with a directive to cease all incoming and outgoing international passenger traffic, Kenya Airways decided to temporarily suspend all international services until further notice. This logo would go fantastic with their current efforts.
3. Java
Java has also taken note of how customers are unable to eat at their cafe outlets, and have provided take out offers so customers can continue enjoying the Java experience. This play on words on Java’s alternative logo could be just what the brand needs to get their customer’s attention during this time.
4. CIC Insurance
5. Cellulant
