The founder and inspirer of the company. Specialist in complex tasks. One of the few people in Russia, who not only knows everything about branding, but also regularly shares this knowledge with others. A good companion for discussions about classical music, good wine, tea and British design.
I help people to express their great ideas and plans into a single word. I come up with ideas on how to register rights for the most complicated cases. After 10 years of working in the naming area I started searching for hidden meanings and associations in the most common words, so sometimes it becomes hard to discuss the simple things with me.
Owner of a degree with honors in the area of marketing communications. More than 7 years of work experience. I love things I do at my job and find inspiration in the sounds of an ocean and the aroma of Arabica coffee.
I believe that everyone should try to make the world around us a bit prettier. I work with HoReCa and Retail projects, create atmospheric and functional spaces, combining the branding and interior design into a single whole. I love wine and waves.
In 2003 Mikhail Gubergrits along with two partners opens the first specialized naming agency in Russia called LEXICA naming. Gradually, the agency becomes one of the leaders in naming area and an expert in a narrow and specialized niche. In 2008, Andrey Ionochkin becomes the CEO of LEXICA naming. Andrey is the author of his own naming techniques and of a series of lectures on naming.
LEXICA naming opens the first Naming School in Russia in cooperation with the Moscow Academy of Communication Wordshop. Many of its graduates still create names for us. Since that time we consistently do 25-45 projects on naming every year.
A new era for us starts on July 1, 2012 with opening of a design studio called LINII and founded by Mikhail Gubergrits and Andrei Ionochkin. The first two projects of the studio, Verba Mayr and Know-How from Beeline, still exist in the initial form, developed by us. The first office of the studio is located near Baumanskaya and the staff consists of 5 people.
The studio decides to focus on projects in retail branding and branding of territories. In 2013, LINII wins the first Grand Prix at the international festival OPEN Fest in Minsk for developing of the brand for the city of Kirovograd. We move to the office at Tretyakovskaya, and the number employees grows to 8 persons.
The growth continues. In 2014 we start working with PRIME Star and win two important tenders, one of them - international. At the end of the year we launch the brand STREET BEAT. We start an active growth in large retail projects. At the end of the year, we develop the brand for Murmansk city – as of today this project received a record number of awards in territory branding in Russia.
We make 4 projects on territory branding and win the first international prize: Pentawards Silver in London (for Prime Star packaging series). We perform a large-scale rebranding of the Winline bookmaker, operating in the premium segment, and also rebrand Casino Opera in Minsk, one of the coolest casinos in the CIS, thus making first steps on the territory of luxury segment.
Formation of LINII Group: in addition to LINII studio, it now includes the naming agency LEXICA and Brandkey agency.
Number of our employees grows to 20 people. The office moves to Petrovsky Boulevard. We are still located there, but now we occupy almost the whole floor.
Re-branding of the network of wine-makers SimpleWine becomes the 2nd in rating of Russian branding projects at Sostav.ru advertising portal. The studio makes a decision to focus in the field of branding in retail and HoReCa. Development of projects of the HomeMarket brand (economy segment), and Solovei network of hairdressing salons.
Art director Igor Mustaev joins the studio, and his ideas greatly change the order of events. We formulate a clear strategy and carry out a lot of internal changes. We perform the 2nd rebranding of PRIME Star network, and its results are even more successful this time. The project becomes the 3rd in ‘Results of the Year. Branding’ rating at Sostav.ru. The studio finishes another major and significant project on development of the premium brand ‘He has 34’. At the end of the year, the LINII Group incorporates BQB, a well-known packaging design agency.
The studio kicks off the year with successful re-branding of the iconic Moscow café network Coffee House in just a month and a half. The first restyled café opens at Polyanka street on March 3.
Opening of the first Wabi-Sabi restaurant, for which LINII Group makes the rebranding. The project is marked with collaboration with contemporary artist Dmitry Kavko, who developed a series of posters with Japanese motives.
The studio participates in a joint project of Yandex and Bang! Bang! Education, the full-length film ‘100 Years of Design’. LINII shoots a short film dedicated to the design era of 1930-35. The film is released on a wide screen in 2018, starting from a premiere at the October Cinema in Moscow with 1,500 spectators.
Our office at Petrovsky Boulevard. As of part September 2018 LINII Group employs 30 people.
