The world of branding is orphaned. The president of Saffron Wally Olins died yesterday of a sudden illness at the age of 83. Olins was known not only for his enlightened vision on corporate identities and for being the father of the "country brand" concept; everyone who knew him agrees in highlighting his generosity and optimism. "Whether it's mentoring a young student looking for advice on how to get ahead in branding or advising presidents on how to improve their nation's brand." Saffron's published press release states on its own website. He had just finished a book that he was going to promote in the next few months. His family says about him: "He was traveling abroad until two months ago. He said he wasn't going to retire, and he never did."
Wally Olins is responsible for the identities of world-renowned brands such as Repsol, Q8, The Portuguese Tourist Board, BT, Renault, o Volkswagen and the brands of countries such as Northern Ireland, Lithuania, Poland and Portugal. He also developed the image of the Olympic Games in London 2012.
The great legacy of Olins will always be present in our work.