Brian Ferguson moves to The Scotsman – but his brand stays the same

Mixed fortunes at the opening of new eaterie/cocktail bar Gusto (pronounced joos-toh, I’m reliably informed by our two-strong office Italian contingent) on George Street, last night. The venue is in the site formerly occupied by Est  Est Est.

While I got to drink free grog and catch up with a few familiar faces, I also managed to lose my specs. So I was left looking in horror at the “spares” this morning. The choice was either a pair that would make me look as though I mugged Harry Potter. Or the bent and buckled tortoiseshell numbers (mmmm, nice!).

I’m sure I can expect sympathy on such matters from fellow speactacle wearer, Brian Ferguson, journalist of this parish who’s just moved “upstairs” from the Evening News to the The Scotsman and who was also enjoying the lavish hospitality at Gusto.

Then again, probably not. Sympathy is in short supply with Mr Ferguson, who goes about his  journalistic duties with relish and ruthlessness. It’s why he’s renowned for exposing the wrong-doings and petty shenanigans of Edinburgh’s toon cooncillors and by necessity (since he works with them almost every day), he has developed particularly thick skin.

I asked the big fella if his career switch would mean the city’s elected officials could now breathe a bit easier. He admitted he’d certainly heard as much. Many on the City of Edinburgh Council seem to think a dark shadow has been lifted from over them.

Then big Brian laughed cheerily and announced: “They’re in for a shock tomorrow then!” He refused to elaborate further -especially since their were a handful of council worthies also doing the rounds in Gusto. But I knew there’d be some story in today’s Scotsman guaranteed to embarrass the council.

Sure enough today’s two page spread on pages 4 and 5 is a sore one for the city fathers. Brian’s come up with a great story on how £1 million has been squandered on a logo which does nothing – except keep four (yes – FOUR) officials in full-time employment. It seems the Logo Four will now be facing redeployment and the “Inspiring Capital” motif is likely to be scrapped.

The article was also the perfect forum to visit other great logo and rebranding blunders of recent times – the disastrous 2012 Olympic horrorshow and the pointlessly expensive retuning  of the Royal Mail to become, ahem, Consignia, to name just a couple.

On the issue of brands, big Brian’s proved in stonking fashion that he might have moved papers – but the Ferguson brand remains undiluted and he’s still doing exactly what he’s best at.