With Brands like These, who Needs Enemies?

Under the premise that “branding is broken”, Sheffield, UK-based Lyon & Lyon has launched Brands Like These, a platform that “breaks the traditional designer-client cycle” where “top designers can sell their best unpublished brand concepts” and where “entrepreneurs can choose from a curated collection of agency-standard brand kits, ready to launch”. In other words, a place to sell pre-fabricated identities where clients can simply change assets to their name and colors of choice. No pitching, no big presentation, no feedback, no negotiation — just mock-ups and a price tag. Once an identity is purchased, it comes off the site and no one else can have it. For some additional insight, DesignWeek chats with Lyon & Lyon about it. So… what do we think?