16792: Rebranding, Renaming, And Revolting Rhetoric At Deutsch.

 

Deutsch LA has dropped the location initials, officially rebranding to Deutsch.

 

Whoop-dee-damn-deutsch—or douche.

 

The self-promotional hype appearing below includes one statement warranting commentary: “Deutsch’s rebrand highlights the importance of diversity and individuality, both within the agency and throughout Los Angeles.”

 

First, don’t forget how the LA-based White advertising agency’s New York sister shop—which was sold off by IPG earlier this year—reportedly decided it “was no longer going to invest in diversity” in 2016. The Deutsch New York decision was underscored with the termination of its Chief Diversity Officer.

 

Second, the former Deutsch LA probably chose to reinvest as a performative response to the Black Lives Matter movement, jumping on the DEIBA+ bandwagon around 2020. The date coincides with launching the Blackness in Full Bloom heat shield, which is now extending to support Hispanic vendors too. Guess they’ll have to rebrand and/or rename the program to integrate brown. The inevitable addition of Asian Americans, Native Americans, and LGBTQIA+ Americans would further complicate matters, especially since the latter group has already adopted rainbow colors.

 

Finally, “the importance of diversity and individuality” at Deutsch is nothing more than a pathetic attempt to rebrand systemic racism. It’s Bullshit in Full Boom.

 

Here’s the Deutsch self-promotional hype:

 

Deutsch LA has officially rebranded to Deutsch, marking a pivotal new era for the agency. With the center of gravity shifting west, Deutsch’s long-time Los Angeles leaders now become the sole name bearers and stewards for the brand.

 

“We are a company that has a history of reinventing itself because it’s just who we are. We are never satisfied. We started as an offshoot with a hunger to prove ourselves—and we’ve never stopped asking ‘Why not us?’ From being the first agency to pre-release a Super Bowl ad to crafting the first-to-market brand partnership with OpenAI, at Deutsch, we think like entrepreneurs and take immense pride in our legacy of ‘firsts’. We don’t know what’s next but we’re ready for it. This rebrand positions us with future big swings in mind,” said Kim Getty, CEO of Deutsch.

 

As Deutsch moves forward, it’s not just about reflecting on its storied past, but also about what comes next. In tandem with its rebrand, Deutsch will expand its entrepreneurial brand-building program, Blackness in Full Bloom, to include local Hispanic founders. Having already helped over 30 Black-owned businesses since its inception, and recently teaming up with Pharrell Williams’ non-profit, Black Ambition, the program is committed to growing Los Angeles’ entrepreneurial community.

 

“We’re committed to pioneering in and beyond our industry, building on that same innovative energy and West Coast optimism. We might be dropping the ‘LA’ from our name, but the spirit of the city continues to be a source of inspiration for Deutsch,” said Karen Costello, Creative Chair of Deutsch.

 

Deutsch’s rebrand highlights the importance of diversity and individuality, both within the agency and throughout Los Angeles. The agency’s new visual brand identity is deeply connected to the cultural tapestry that makes up the city. It blends mixed-media, texture, color, language, code and art. Key brand elements include an “LA” logo that collapses into the new “Deutsch,” and unique AI-generated personal monikers that weave the agency’s logo together with the “D” for each employee.

 

“Deutsch’s new visual identity nods to our past and connects us to the future with a common thread. The new logo and font boast fluidity from letter to letter, akin to the script and graffiti that fill the streets of Los Angeles. Deutsch’s new vibrant expression reminds us to stay flexible, optimistic, and to champion each other's differences,” said Deutsch’s Chief Design Officer, Adhemas Batista.