Month: January 2019

Apples & Mermaids Round-Up

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At the end of January, we here at Kaizen Brand Evolution held our first event/workshop of the year, titled Apples & Mermaids. This was a workshop detailing the importance the logos play in our lives and just how important they are to businesses everywhere, no matter what industry they are in. The event took place in The Mac, Belfast which we can only say had a fantastic set-up for us.

Ryan Stanfield, our very own Design Director, was the speaker during the event, taking us through what logos mean to us and also how we are influenced by them. For example, is there a brand that you are faithful to and won’t deviate from even if someone else is offering a similar product at a cheaper price? Think perhaps shoe or trainer manufacturers. If you are always buying Adidas trainers, you are less likely going to buy anything that Nike might have to offer. The same can be said for Vans and Converse. It is usually one or the other. However, if you remove the logo from these products and do a test, you might find that your loyalties change. This is because it is all to do with the brand and logo that we see, the logo that we feel a connection with.

Those that attended the event were also given the opportunity to put their own design skills to the test, being given an exercise where they had to try and figure out what symbol, font and colours best suited a certain company. The point of this was to show those in attendance the process that goes into creating a logo for a company and how much else there is involved, rather than just sketching something and saying it is okay. It is vital to look at what industry you are in and see what would go well. But it is also important to look at what other people in the same industry are doing.

At the end of the morning, guests had the chance to ask Ryan some questions, getting further insight into his knowledge and also help with understanding some of their own projects that they are undertaking. As well as this, they had the opportunity to chat with some other team members who were in attendance.

It was a great morning had by all and we can’t thank everyone who came enough, helping to make it so. We are now in full preparation mode for our next upcoming event, “When is a good time to rebrand” taking place on 22nd of February in The Academy Restaurant. If you would like to buy tickets, you can do so right here: http://bit.ly/rebrandtime

If you feel that you are in need of some inspiration and help with your current branding project or perhaps you are a company just starting out, then please do not hesitate to contact us either by email at studio@kaizenbrandevolution.com or else by phone on 028 9057 2007 to get your next project underway.

Tips on working with a Graphic Designer

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As expert graphic designers in Belfast, we have helped thousands of businesses with their creative projects. From full brand development to basic flyer design no project is too large or too small. Engaging with a graphic designer for the first time can seem daunting, but it shouldn’t be.

With our top tips below, we’ll guide you through the process from briefing to print and everything in between. And if you are looking for a graphic design studio to work with, we’re of course happy to recommend Kaizen Brand Evolution.

Our top tips on working with a graphic designer are:

Briefing a graphic designer

A clearly defined brief is the starting point for any successful graphic design project. It should include: Project Goals, brand guidelines, final copy and any assets for consideration of use in the project. We of course can get started on a project without some of these items, but using best practice will always achieve better results. When speaking to a graphic designer, tell us of projects you like and also those you dislike. They may be local design projects or international. This gives us an indication of what style you like and a starting project for the project.

Project Goals

As marketers and business owners we must always consider the end goal of a project. What is our aim and how do we hope to achieve it. Considering the end first, will help us design a project much more efficiently.

While not necessarily a consideration for the design team, it’s always prudent to consider the effect a successful campaign will have on your own internal resource. To give an example, our recent headquarter move was originally timed over the period we intended to run a national print offer on our roller banners. It was determined that the offer may put too much pressure on our production schedule with the move considered. While it will still happen at a later date, running a successful campaign could have put undue pressure on our team.

Assets Matter

When it comes to creating high quality graphic design, starting with high quality assets is key. These assets comes from a variety of sources, your own branding, previous photoshoots or from supplier image banks. We also have access to millions of high quality stock images on Adobe Stock & Shutterstock.

Content is King

When we start any design project the first thing we suggest is that our clients begin or complete the copywriting process. Even we as regular content writers underestimate the time taken in creating and finalising great content for projects. With larger projects such as websites, annual reports or magazines, this is of greater importance.

We hope you found our tips on working with a graphic designer useful and informative. If you have a project you’d like to discuss with us, we’d be glad to hear from you. Simply message us via the contact form below with some further information.

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Town – brand development, website design & social media

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When branding a new venue, whether restaurant, hotel, nightclub or bar, thee are considerations we must make as your branding partner. Our initial discussion will focus on customer demographics, market opportunities and the heritage of the business in the case of a bran audit or brand refresh. After meeting with the owners of Town, Leixlip we were blown away by their passion and drive within the hospitality trade in Co.Kildare. They had a vision for the bar / restaurant and we were engaged to bring that vision to life through: Brand Strategy, Brand Identity Design, Logo Design, Menu Design, Website Design and a social media launch campaign.

About Town, Leixlip

Town is a bar based in Leixlip, Co. Kildare, Ireland. They loved the idea of being the ‘Talk of the Town’ bar as this would be great for a ‘Town’ campaign they can work with and evolve over time. We explored diffident uses for brand language, which could easily evolve over time. Their target audience would be locals who would head into Dublin for a night out. They were inspired by well known neighbourhood bars in the likes of Dublin and Manchester and aimed to bring it back to Leixlip so punters could get the same experience and not having to travel as far, back in their home town. A place you can go for your coffee meetings, family dinners to having a night out partying on the dance floor with your friends. 

Town is “More than just a bar”.

Town approached Kaizen Brand Evolution to create a brand for their bar because they wanted to create a bar for everyone in the local community. Town’s approach was creating a friendly bar for all generations of the Leixlip community. They needed a branding system, which worked for everyone. It had to feel homely after it all it was a Town in their hometown. Town is a bar that would rely heavily on their social media to advertise their events each night and mid week offers. The Brand would have to work particularly well on social media platforms as most of their audience would be on these, to create a social media friendly brand we looked at how other bars across the globe used social media to promote their business. 

We created the branding system in way, so it’s simple for Town to use. It had to also stand out from their competitors but mainly be consistent. To get the brand identity for Town, we gathered our research of places the owners of Town liked. We took elements from our research then we crafted 3 concepts, which were all unique created to tell the story of Town. 

We Partner Your Interiors Team

We worked closely with the interior designer to make sure the brand worked with the interiors and to complement the building. We introduced a contemporary colour palette for the brand, using a rich blue, teal and gold with contrasting pinks from the floral elements used to add more depth to the brand.

Crafting the TOWN mark had to represent a place for everyone with some character. The Mark had to feel established, friendly and Town had to you make you feel like you belong, a place where you can go for a morning coffee, or grab a bite to eat or have a really good time with your mates, it had to feel like a place you never have to leave as it’s all under one roof. This is where it ties back to he underpin for Town, “More than just a bar”. 

Brand Language is Critical

The brand language had to be simple, but unique to Town. “Fancy a G&T”, “It’s T-time” and “Down to a-T” using the T mark, which can easily evolve for future adverting promotions. The language is playful, and it’s simple. 

Brand Development Is Just The Start

As well as the branding system we produced a range of visuals to show them how the brand could be used across different mediums; including work uniform, menus, hand stamps, glassware, and online presence. When you see how all the brand elements are brought together it’s clear to see how well the brand works as a whole. With this brand structure, Town will stand out from the rest of competition.

Website Development

With any branding project we must further consider its reach beyond the conceptualisations presented. We look at all manner of print and digital mediums the brand is to shown on and develop these further in line with the brand strategy. For most in the hospitality sector, the main focus of attention moves from brand to website development. As you can see from the graphic above, we have captured the essence of the brand and brought to life a new website for the thriving business.

We enjoyed working with Town on this branding project and we look forward to seeing the branding used across social media, the branding paired with the interiors of the bar and we are excited to be part of the Town evolution.

Start a Branding Project

Want to start a bar, restaurant or nightclub branding project of your own? We’d be delighted to have a chat. You can get in touch with us on +44 289507 2007 or you can get in touch with us via the contact form below

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