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A former Finnish family-owned oil supplier brand Union has decided to transform itself completely. Union is relaunching the brand as a modern outdoor and streetwear concept,  with a new vision and service portfolio. Preparing for their official launch in winter 2025/2026, the collaboration with VCD students aimed to redefine Union’s brand identity, aligning it with modern values and broadening its appeal to both Gen Z and older generations. 

Senior University Lecturer Markus Joutsela, the teacher in charge of the collaboration, highlighted the course as an invaluable learning experience for both the students and Union. "The course is designed to immerse students in real-world design projects, equipping them with the skills to manage creative work within the parameters of a client brief. Emphasis is placed on user-centered design, research, testing, and iteration, preparing them to navigate complex, client-driven challenges.”

Over six weeks, the students conducted background research, developed concepts, created visuals and developed launch strategies for the brand. Working in nine small groups, each team addressed the same client challenge, bringing unique perspectives to the project. The course culminated in final presentations in December 2024, where students showcased their visually compelling and well-researched concepts. Deliverables included videos, mock-ups, and strategies for implementing Union's renewed visual identity in different contexts and environments.

“By applying user-centered design principles, students ensured their concepts aligned with both the vision of Union and the needs, behaviors, and experiences of the brand’s target audience”, Joutsela explained. Students benefitted from the guidance of a highly skilled teaching team of design specialists, who provided diverse perspectives through lectures and workshops to enhance the learning experience.

From a petrol station to a modern streetwear brand

Founded in Finland in 1931 as an oil supplier, Union was more than just a gas station. It introduced the first automatic carwash, first gas pumps with direct payment, first electronic data systems, café and restaurant services, first credit cards and focused on employee training and mindset development. 

At its peak, Union operated 260 stations across Finland and holding a 20% share of the domestic gasoline retail market. However, as the industry consolidated, Union’s operations were absorbed and rebranded by Neste Oil in 1990. Union is now entering a new realm: a lifestyle brand designed for the next generation of explorers. 

Anna Enholm, the founder of the “new Union”, decided to transform this family-owned brand into a modern outdoor and streetwear concept “This concept started as part of my bachelor thesis. My vision was to take this cool vintage brand, which holds significant value in Finnish history, and recycle it into something fresh and relevant for today's world,” says Enholm. As an ex-Alpine skier and Fashion Business graduate, she wanted to combine both worlds, and that’s where the idea of Union started.

Project highlights

Enholm actively participated in the collaboration process, attending project briefings, research workshops, and both interim and final presentations. According to Union’s team, the project proved to be a dynamic exchange of ideas and innovation. 

“The students' extensive research, dedication, and hungry mindset have been inspiring for the whole Union team. We knew this was going to be a challenge for each group, taking into consideration the heritage of the company, the new vision for Union, the founder’s story, and the quite open briefing, and further come up with a take on relaunching a brand such as Union.”

The Union team was highly impressed by the conceptual thinking and creative approaches presented. They claimed that the most valuable output was each team’s ability to connect and transform Union’s unique heritage into the new outdoor and streetwear brand concept; each team had their own unique representation of what the new identity of Union could be.

“A special highlight goes to Team 5, or “High Five” as they called themselves – Jenni, Vilma, Elmer, and Kata. Their concept was built around “Memories” and how it was the connection between Union’s heritage, the new brand vision, and how rooted “memories” are to the brand’s target audience."

The visual research was done in detail, considering digital platforms, logo shapes, photography and film, and the overall “vibe” of the brand. It was a good representation of how a simple idea as “memories”, relatable for all, could build up a strong concept and be able to connect the dots for the brand. “We are very excited that we got to be part of this collaboration and thankful for all the hard work of each group, student, and the whole teaching team,” Union’s team concluded.

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