In May 2020, Tesco launched the pilot of a new rapid delivery service from just one store. The aim was to establish proof of concept, fast, so the service could be rolled out at pace.

Why such haste? Well, this was in the middle of the pandemic, and the delivery market was booming. Tesco had already planned to launch a rapid on-demand service of its own, but had been delayed by the onset of Covid. Now it needed to catch up.

We worked at maximum speed to develop a distinctive identity. Together with the client team, we quickly decided to emphasise the emotive side of rapid delivery, and dial up the brand personality. The look, feel and tone are totally Tesco – but Tesco at its most active and informal.

The name, Whoosh, is ‘the sound of expediency’. It’s a bit of a break from Tesco’s traditional naming style, but crucially, still speaks the same everyday language as Tesco customers up and down the country.

Early testing showed that the name had cut-through: while it initially struck customers as awkward, they immediately associated it with speed, remembered it – and grew to like it.

Visually, the identity uses all the key elements of the masterbrand. The palette is Tesco Red, Blue and White. The typeface is Tesco Modern. The voice is simple, real and energetic.

Cut-out imagery celebrates the freshness and quality of the products, while integration with type – an approach that’s unique to this service – creates a sense of playfulness that matches the attitude of the name. Crucially, it’s also a technique that works well across print and digital formats.

Elsewhere, full-bleed macro imagery celebrates the meals and moments that this type of product will turn into (more on which later).

The other key asset is the cut-out scooter – this ties the creative approach back into Tesco’s other ‘groceries at home’ services (which are represented online via their mode of delivery) while instantly signalling to customers that this is about smaller baskets and quicker delivery times.