Standard Equipment: make brand positioning visible in the catalogue

D&AD’s project description credits newkid and describes a catalogue that assigns each item an ordinary use alongside an unconventional one. The designer’s portfolio presents the same two-part approach. These are accounts of the creative work, not independent customer research. ^{[1] [2]}

Our reading of the mechanism is simple: repeat a recognizable contrast at the product level. A visitor can encounter the brand idea while comparing objects, instead of having to infer it from an abstract statement on an about page. Whether visitors actually understand that idea remains a question to test.

Brand New’s public listing is dated August 2, 2024. D&AD labels its archive entry 2025. These establish coverage and archive dates; they do not establish an exact commercial launch date. We read the public Brand New header, not its subscription-only article. ^{[3] [1]}

Neither the portfolio nor the archive provides a measured increase in sales, conversion or customer understanding. The work can be examined as a design approach without treating recognition or publication as proof of commercial success.

Analysis & application

Our proposed application is a product page with two distinct layers. First explain what the object is, its intended purpose and the practical information a buyer needs. Then add the surprising interpretation. The second layer should create interest without contradicting specifications or implying an unverified capability.

For example, a team could compare a factual description with one that adds a playful scenario. This is a proposed test, not a documented Standard Equipment product or campaign. If readers remember the joke but cannot explain what they would buy, the creative layer needs revision.

Analysis & application

Use this original exercise before extending the idea across a range. It is not a test reported by the company.

1. Choose a small, varied group of products and write one plain-language purpose for each.
2. Add one unexpected interpretation while keeping specifications and factual claims identical.
3. Show comparable groups one version each. Ask them to explain the product, identify a suitable use and find a key specification.
4. Record misunderstandings, time needed and recall separately. Do not count amusement as purchase intent.
5. Revise ambiguous wording, then repeat the comparison. If measuring sales later, record price, availability and traffic differences rather than attributing every change to copy.

Analysis & application

The hypothesis is that a consistent storytelling rule can make a product range feel distinctive while retaining clarity. It is most useful when the objects can support genuinely different interpretations and the team can maintain the rule across the catalogue.

Avoid forcing a joke onto every item. A range may need different levels of explanation, and a memorable name is not necessarily a purchasing advantage. The decision should rest on observed understanding and relevant customer behaviour, with uncertainty recorded when evidence is insufficient.