Brand Management (80/100):

I think about brands like people, and brand management as parenting – you shape its values consistently, teach it how to talk and act, and nurture it over a long period... except it generates income rather than draining it (and nobody has to get pregnant).

This assignment was to conduct an analysis of any brand of choice, identify a problem in its branding and formulate a solution. I chose Octopus Energy because it had such unique and memorable branding. It felt like no other energy provider, and is the leading market challenger – despite being younger than five of ‘the Big Six’ competitors, Octopus currently holds the second-largest market share for gas and electricity (behind British Gas).

I thoroughly enjoyed my Brand Management module. The way visual elements fuse with strategic offering to create a cohesive brand experience stimulates my brain in a way that I love.

Areas covered: market analysis, analyses of brand identity, personality, communications, positioning and strategy, visual identity, values and culture, brand equity and architecture.

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Highlights:

1. Brand identity & personality.

2. Visual identity

3. Strategy

4. The problem & recommendation

BRAND IDENTITY, PERSONALITY & VALUES

Octopus Energy’s brand identity stands out in the UK’s historically distrusted energy sector by emphasising sustainability, affordability, and transparency. The brand’s cheerful, sincere personality fosters a sense of warmth and reliability, using friendly, approachable language and cheerful emojis in its communications.

Its progressive values – social responsibility, compassion and sustainability – suggest an appeal to younger audiences. However, Similarweb data revealed that psychological values, rather than age, are a more significant factor in attracting its customer base.

VISUAL IDENTITY

Octopus Energy's visual identity is highly unique and differentiable, as it prioritises contrast over familiarity – both aesthetically, and within the market.

A cute octopus logo, with big eyes and rounded lines, reflects its values and builds a memorable visual identity that contrasts with traditional competitors. Octopus is the only provider with an animal mascot, which has human-esque features that subconsciously evokes feelings of trust, and reinforces its sustainable positioning through its representation of the natural environment.

Its memorable mascot and distinct colour palette make it recognizable and approachable in the energy market, further reinforcing its mission.

STRATEGY

Octopus Energy’s strategy is built on sustainability and affordability, distinguishing it as a trustworthy alternative to traditionally profiteering energy providers in a historically distrusted market.

Unlike competitors that have recently adopted green initiatives in alignment with the growing trend for sustainability, Octopus has always centred its brand on eco-friendly energy, establishing credibility and brand loyalty.

Furthermore, its position as a brand extension within the Octopus Group (specialising in financial services) enables its competitive pricing, able to leverage the group’s financial resources to absorb rising wholesale energy costs.

This consistent, value-driven strategy has helped Octopus capture significant market share and build lasting consumer relationships.

'THE PROBLEM' & RECOMMENDATION

Octopus Energy’s transparency-focused identity and sincere personality fosters consumer trust, but also creates a critical vulnerability. When promises are broken by brands with identities rooted in transparency, customer trust declines more significantly and irreparably than it would with other brands, risking conversion to competitors.

Their current slogan (“cheaper, greener energy”) could be perceived as dishonest – they aren’t always the cheapest of competitors. Its tariffs are the cheapest, however, its unit prices can be considerably higher.

Because of this, I recommend altering Octopus’ slogan to “fairer, greener energy”.