BRANDING - LEO-STRUTS

- OUR CONVERSTIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Client: " Hey Falkeh, we want an Identity for our business "

Falkeh: what do you have in Mind?

Client: "I really don't not have anything in mind, so do what is creative for us and that can make
us stand out ".

Falkeh: I'd kindly send you a Brand design brief, fill them and forward back to me. Then we can go through the couple of presentation thereafter.

HOW WE COMMUNICATED THE STRATEGY MAKING FOR THE BRAND

Falkeh:
We saw the potential of the brand to have it place in the world ( Purpose ) based on the first project ( the identity design ). So I made a quick chat as a follow up of what I have always wanted to tell the client. As a brand, it is an asset of the business if it can be deliberately built, it will find it way in the world and give the business what it'd had been struggling to get. So we found the place of Leo-Struts for them, more than just a service company or organization, we make them a living brand that will in time, make them thrive with the work that would be done.

PROJECT BRIEF:

Leo Struts is a construction ( Developer ) and building firm located in Nigeria, Africa. They are architectural designers, structural engineers and developers in the construction industry that are into Construction processes, Renovation, Civil works, Procurements, Infrastructural development, and Alternate construction. Think of it around residential and commercial building construction, bridges construction, amenities designs, rehabilitation and maintenance and selling of properties.

OBJECTIVE(s)
a. At the very beginning of the project, the very objective was to design what will be different and modern in the industry. Competition was not the major focus but to stand out. Using design mechanisms to bring this to live was the major focus.

b. We had in mind as part of the objectives to make the brand a living one - A brand that lives in the heart of human. What that means is to have an Identity, Purpose and vision that gives story and tell it to a target

( specific ) or to the world at large. We wanted something around the brand name and rationale for existence, that which we believe would give the brand it's own voice and to be recognized with something, a move or some set of people if not the world. So yeah, we worked around that to present the brand.

c. One of the benchmarks we have also around the objectives of the project and also for the brand is to be Visually distinctive. Any creative way we can use to communicate this to the world. We wanted something that would be unconventional but totally relatable with little or no stress to be recognized. It's a Brand - an assets
of a business so, it has to speak to the business too.

CHALLENGE(s)
Challenges? Yeah. We had series of challenges that range from rationale to technical ones.

There was a time we had to see how the rationale of the brand will tie to the meaning of the brand name that will reflect on the outcome or output of the Identity design - since it was the major work of this project, of course - little strategy was put in place too.

Secondly, the challenge that came with the name registered and which was different from the one the client submitted. We had to redesign all the output since it appears on all of our design we first had or designed.

Maybe we can document this as one of our challenges too.

The part of our visual distinctiveness in the place of using the right design style was a challenge that had us to make swift, and delicate design direction and decisions.

STRATEGIC APPROACH

To address all of our important objectives and challenges, we have to first approach them in other of importance ( Sequence ) as a stage rather than aspect ( Stage by stage ). Exception are to times where we have to randomly address some ( None linear ).

We commence the solution stage with knowing the brand.

Normally, interpretation is the game of design, to this - aligned approach was the best, interpreting the brand around the meaning, industry and what the brand stand for. For the rationale and reason for existence of the brand that gave birth to the Identity.
We looked at the name of the brand and also the meaning and that which, like we've
said, gave birth to this. For our Story part, we conducted some research within the team to know what will likely
present the brand as the best brand to say what they wanted to communicate to the world ( We developed that for the brand )

For distinctiveness, We looked at what will make it a different brand from the use of design element, tone, voice, personality, archetype and all.

For the Visual part at first, we looked at illustrative design elements rather than raw images alone. We agreed to do the blend of the two but more of the Illustration to communicate all of our design presentation in all of the brand touch-points. We looked at research from different angles for different stages of the project.

We started the project by giving a direction based on our Primary research we had from the Client. We further our project output and direction by engaging in Secondary research phase where we gather mood, boards and all that will help in this project success.

NB: Research, in project direction is possibly the most important stage of the design process, as it's the soul of every project because it guides, lays foundation of where possible the project will head to and also, put more light on any existing information already acquired on the project from the Primary Research Phase during the Secondary Research phase.

In identity design project, one of the approaches in defining the Project Problem Statement, and also to establish the direction of the Project is to first explore ideas based on the design brief or feedback from Client interview during the Consultation, and one of many ways to do that is coming up with a Moodboard. Where keywords and design attributes are used to gather visual content that speak to the heart of the project and the Brand.

MOODBOARD

BRAND PROSPECT

To strengthen the path of the direction for this project, we did a deep dive in the brand's prospects, At this time we are focusing on the prospect which in the case of a product design project ( tech ), we might have used " persona " .

At this stage we focus mainly on the major motivations and values of the prospects, all, from the angle of the brand character. We were looking for the synergy between the two ( Brand Prospect and Brand Character ). We researched and looked at what they look like and what we ( as the brand ) look like and we connect he dots.

We ended up with two types of prospect ( their personalities ) and also we named them. We gave them names based on their respective attributes, even though they also have where they are the same.

The names are:

1. THE SEDULOUS ( Project FINISHER )

Sedulous are diligent, constant, and persevering in business, or in endeavor to effect a goal; steadily industrious. Endlessly motivated, setting new goals and trying new things. They want to be the best person, parent and professional they can be. They thrive off a sense of team, club and personal fulfillment and also, view their family as a team. Ultimately purpose driven.

2. THE VISIONARY ( Dream G0 GETTER )

Visionary are Dream go-getters and are best building nation. They have ideal life and everything they want to see. They challenge the status-quo and set new frontier every time and then. They never settle for less and always driven by purpose and values. Always with BIG dreams to see the world becoming a better place.

Likewise, we worked on the Brand Personality or Character as mentioned earlier, We discovered who we are and that matched who we are talking to or serving.

The name of the brand Character is THE INTENTIONAL ACHIEVER

Get more about the brand , please, send a request for the Leo-Struts Global Brand Guidelines to Falkeh11@yahoo.co.uk

DISCOVERY AND CLARITY - ( BRAND STRATEGY, BRAND IDENTITY and COMMUNICATION
Storytelling ) -

During the discovery and clarity session that was done for Leo-Struts. Our discovery and clarity was around the particular work we did on the project -

The Brand Strategy, Brand Identity. And what this really did was to communicate what the Brand wanted to say to the world - and actually where its belongs. The strategy was develop to give the brand what to run with and also, find her proper place in the world and existing for something bigger than her or than operations ( Purpose driven ). The Identity as it is, is a result of a strategy and decisions made and consensus that has been reached before the creativity is put to play.

So for this project, Leo-Struts, we worked creatively on many things to make the Brand what we wanted it to be. A Modern and story telling brand that can live in the heart of people.

To the story, we wanted what will align with the brand itself too. So we worked around motivation, Inspiration and catchy words the brand can live to tell and for the type of brand character, personality and archetype to communicate to the brand prospect/ target.

HOW?

What we did

For the STRATEGY

1. We worked of clarity of ideation ( Identity, Purpose and Vision ) to Brand Attributes and Essences.
Attribute of more of the brand touchpoints and visuals.
Essence as of the brand internal reason for living.

2. For the communication We worked on " what do we want to say " and that defines the brand.
Our inspiration for the brand communication style originated from the brand's name.

We looked at the word LEO and STRUCTURE, what they mean and how we can creatively say what you ( Prospect ) , yes, you and that you would like, what that resonate with you, and that defines you. The words were broken down to keywords that can help in building a good communication and style for the brand.

Keywords like: ( share the design here )
Bold, Structure, Strength, Courage, Confidence, Size, structure, layers, Construction etc. Then used them to create our message around what we want the world to know the brand for apart form their normal product or service offering.

The choice pf Voice/Tone we worked on for the brand are: Courage and Boldness, inspirational, Motivational. Leadership and the Goal getter. We wanted you to see or hear about Leo-Struts and be encourage. Either to live purposefully, finish what've started, Keep going against all odd, go again or what would make no one to give up.

THE LOGO-MARK - CULTIVATING THE MEANING OF YOUR BRAND -

( The meaning of the Mark/Symbol - what it stands for/represents )

How?

1. From Organization Strategy point of view - Yes.
2. Meaning of the brands name and what they do - YES.

Every Brand has an internal meaning that runs deeper than what the eye sees. It is more like the internal identity, purpose and Long-Range intention of the Corporation/Company/Organization/Business, and what these do is that they controls and restrict the choices and decisions made by the brand. And now on this project
where the logo choice is to be considered at this point of the project been the Identity development phase where the logo is an important element/the key representative here.

A logo doesn't have to say anything much or explain anything about what the brand does, but it can best be the best representative of the brand by all of it's visual attributes and all makes it up in the brand identity milestone.

Since it ( The Logo ) represents all the other elements under the milestone, and that it leads and shares all the important and major elements and attributes of the identity that tie them together. ( color, feel, style, type, look and all )

On Leo-struts, our approach to how the Logo-mark/symbol will cultivate the meaning of the brand is to find relevant visual and iconic elements in the industry that can communicate what the brand does in an iconic way. We interpreted it in the manner of visual concept and rationale not the meaning of the brand name ( Leo - Struts )

The meaning: To the meaning of the bran name, " Leo " Leo, Latin for Lion, is the fifth sign of the zodiac. We interpreted to strength from the personality. Lion stands for Boldness, Courage and strength. " Struts " is a re-constructed version of " Structure ". But none of the two was actually used directly to make the logo but indirectly were used - like Structure for the flat 3d model of the logo that constitute of L+S+ fire sign.

Visual and Design Elements.
The logo is made up of Alpha-Iconic elements. Letter L and S shape as the initial of the Brand constructed to make a house ( structure ) shape.

We worked on every part of the project like we mean it, after-all, we really do!

BRAND GUIDELINE/STYLEGUIDE.

This most times is created at the very early stage of the design after the feedback on research and the Logo design is made. The importance is first to guide the Design decision making along the building of the Brand Visual Identity. In this case, this is a Graphical Mini Style - meaning, with fewer words but still enough to guide the basic use of the Brand design elements. To make a request for the Global Brand Styleguide, please sent an email to Falkeh11@yahoo.co.uk.

Some breakdown of our brand Identity for Leo-struts focuses on some major part of a brand identity after the logo. The element that compliment the logo and that make the brand identifiable from every visual assets.

So we worked on the Icon, Illustration, photography, pattern etc.

ICONOGRAPHY

At the Identity phase of this project, we worked on a customized icons that speaks to the heart of the project specifically the attributes of the design and its industry. We worked around standards and also, allow creative freedom too. From grid spacing to stroke thickness, curve angle, and safe area.

ILLUSTRATION

On the illustration for this project, we worked on two phases, one - for the brand services - that is, to represent each services the brand offers to the target, two - that explains the 3D Logo version of the brand.

1. Brand Service Exploration

We try to use a very close visual concept to explain the brand services. We made our decision based on our research around what is relevant to the brand industry and that the style (visual) that best describe this.

We employ an ISOMETRIC design style to explain the brand services.

The concept behind each shape are first, alphabetic in order of monogram ( Letters and First letter ). We worked creatively around this and developed each shape to best describe the services in each grand style.

2. Brand 3D Logo Version

We worked on the brand 3D logo type/version to better present the brand also to strengthen the Identity of the brand. We did this at first accidentally but later discover that it is relevant to the brand, what we found out in our creative exploration.