WE ARE BEARD & BLADE
By Isobel Plummer - N0701811
A PROPER SHAVE Follow our lead and discover a proper shave because at Beard & Blade we see your facial hair as our number one priority, so why settle for less...?
1.
OUR ROOTS
Our story begins with designer and founder Dan Fairley, growing up he was surrounded by strong, influential male figures who shaped who he is today. They embodied the conventional sense of the word ‘manly’ and placed importance on the traditional values of hard work and responsibility. Always as part of this, Dan noticed shaving and grooming went hand in hand with their lifestyle, it expressed their masculinity outwardly and became part of their personality. A defining moment was when Dan’s Grandfather taught him how to shave for himself, instilling in him a great appreciation and lifelong love of traditional shaving methods, which ultimately led to the creation of Beard & Blade in 2018. Simply put, Beard & Blade are in the business of proper shaving; we base everything we do around our customer and create a product that enables them to express themselves and take pride in their appearance. It may have all started humbly with Dan Fairley’s upbringing, but our ideas and creations aim to put the quality back into shaving, just without all the fuss and frills.
Mission Our mission is to create quality shaving and grooming tools that will allow men to embrace their individuality and express their masculinity through becoming an integral part of their everyday routine.
Vision
2.
We want to help more men get a proper shave; no fuss, no frills, all quality. Our vision is to bring these ideas and experiences into more men’s lives so we can help beards everywhere be the best they can be. With this we hope to become the go-to brand for traditional shaving tools in the UK.
THE TRUTH ABOUT US
“
To men with beards who value tradition and masculinity, Beard & Blade offers a practical, precise and old school approach to the sculpting and upkeep of facial hair. - Our Proposition
AT OUR CORE Premium Meets Practical This statement will be reflected through everything we produce at Beard & Blade, from products to colour choice to marketing message, we will always stay true to being a quality focused brand that thinks about the practicalities and what will work with our customer’s lifestyle, rather than getting distracted with the less important bits.
WE WILL REMAIN
WITH STRONG VALUES
Masculine
Minimal
Masculinity is the backbone of everything we create. It goes into our products, our design, our language...we were founded on the idea of a true masculine energy and that will never change. Included within this is a sense of pride, strength and ruggedness.
Minimalism is how we express ourselves, it is vital to our brand identity, we don’t rely on gimmicks, we focus on our beautifully simplistic design that will have a practical application in our customer’s lifestyle. ‘Over the top’ simply isn’t in our vocabulary.
Traditional
Hand-Crafted
Tradition is something that is rooted in our core, there’s no wrong or right way to shave, but you’ll know the difference in quality once you’ve tried our way. Traditional blades for a better shave is something we believe in strongly and is at the heart of our ethos.
Hand-Crafted design will always be important to us at Beard & Blade. Our materials are what make us special, exploiting them just isn’t an option for us, so we will never be mass produced, and ultimately, the care that goes into each product is reflected in the quality.
A CLEAR, DEFINED NATURE
Manly
Rugged, strong & authoritative
Old-School
Refined, proud & timeless
Direct
Straight to the point, no fuss & assertive
& THE TONE TO MATCH
We are...
Honest, bold, realistic, purposeful, calm, positive, down to earth & informed
But we are never...
Lazy, full of jargon, indecisive, vague, bossy, exaggerators & condescending
3.
HOW WE EXPRESS OUR IDENTITY When it comes to expressing brand identity, there are many elements that go into bringing Beard & Blade to life with the aim to make it as recognisable and coherent as possible, whilst still reflecting our values and personality.
Underbrush # c0b083 Earth # 302827 Olive # 4d704d White # ffffff Black # 000000
A REFINED PALETTE To fit with Beard & Blade’s personality and values, a subdued colour palette was chosen, these colours will representative of us across channels and throughout designs. We believe this palette truly embodies who we are and sums us up perfectly; it is minimalist by having just a select number of complimenting colours, masculine by choosing tones which are dark and strong, and finally, it reflects our hand-crafted elements through the natural and earthy associations it possesses. These core colours should be used as instructed and never be deviated from in tone, not all greens or browns are the same and we prefer to be consistent in our creations.
Black & White
Olive
‘Black’ and ‘White’ will act as important tools throughout everything we do, keeping things simple and working together. They should be used where possible to bring a minimalist approach and keep the designs from becoming overwhelmed with colour or busyness.
The colour ‘Olive’ is our primary colour, it is to be used for most major design elements across channels and be recognisable to Beard and Blade. However, it should not ever become too much, keep it simple yet still noticeable for the best results.
Earth
Underbrush
‘Earth’ is our secondary colour choice, and its purpose is to be able to break up certain elements and emphasise others, making use of its darker tones for dramatic effect. It should be used less frequently than ‘Olive’ and act as a support within design elements.
‘Underbrush’ is our tertiary colour, it is less obvious but important to bring flow and help connect elements for a cohesive identity. It is to be used sparingly and in smaller size blocks than our other colours, for subtle yet powerfully effective approach.
PERFECT IMAGERY The imagery goes hand in hand with the colour schemes in that we enjoy the simple things in life, reflecting a masculine and minimalist atmosphere. This is conveyed in a variety of ways and we are quite broad with our subject matters. A few easily recognisable solutions to a classic Beard & Blade image might include: men with rugged appearances and styled beards for consumer connection, close-up shots of our products in use to show them in action, or they might be nature based images, from trees to landscapes, either for purely aesthetic imagery or for a backdrop for products or models. Either way, this can capture our roots and hand-crafted nature in a strong way. Each of these settings as an image is used with purpose, playing a significant role in bringing Beard & Blade to life visually.
Good
Bad
In addition to subject matter, style is also one of the most important considerations when creating anything for Beard & Blade, and there a few things that need to be addressed in order to get it spot on. Our fundamental rule is that clean images are good images; so, no crowding, bright colours or over posing. Instead, stick to natural or black and white tones that work well side by side with our colour scheme, as well as minimal scenes and styling to avoid overcomplicating things, and finally the posing should, in most cases, appear candid and relaxed.
EXPERT LOGO USAGE
The logo is a vital aspect for conveying our identity and our initial chance to prove ourselves to the consumer, as it is first thing they might see when they come across us, therefore as a brand we didn’t approach the subject lightly. The logo needs to punchy Beard & be Blade and immediate and many variations of design were tested, some going for a more minimalist approach while others aimed to hit home the concepts of the two elements of ‘beards’ and ‘blades’. A selection of these approaches have been made available to view here, as we think it’s important to show our journey to help you better understand why our final logo fits us just right. The overall aim for our logo is to show our masculinity and traditional elements whilst being simple, aesthetically pleasing and for it to work seamlessly across all channels, for which none of these approaches quite hit the nail on the head.
Beard & Blade
Beard & Blade
Beard & Blade
Beard & Blade
Beard & Blade
Our final logo combines the two elements of image and text for a clear representation and summary of us. The beard is the main component, in a style which conveys a sense of tradition and refined manhood, with the added connotation of appearing like a badge of honour, for the consumer to recognise the brand as something special and to use with pride. Underneath the beard sits the brand name which is arranged for an easily readable yet aesthetically pleasing layout. A main section of the type is how the bottom half of the word ‘blade’ has been cut off for a play on words and to accentuate the meaning, this is then underlined with an image of our razor blade to fully bring the logo all together and include representation of both beards and blades. We believe strongly that this logo design, and everything that goes into it, is a cut above the rest whilst avoiding becoming overcomplicated and difficult to process quickly.
Now that you understand the reasoning behind the logo, it is essential to grasp the how’s and where’s of using it, as it can appear slightly different depending on circumstance and situation. We don’t ask much, just that it’s readable and recognisable, which can have the potential to influence colour, size and material usage.
On light backgrounds, the logo is to appear in its usual form of black, whereas on black backgrounds the inverted white version should be used, it can also be scaled up or down depending.
On medium backgrounds, such as our classic Olive shade, the logo should be placed on a white tile set at 50% opacity to account for readibality and to keep it standing out and discernible.
On products, the logo is to be engraved, for a permanent and yet brand fitting mark. Elements in this capacity can also appear separately, such as the beard alone for a simple and striking look.
Equally as important, is knowing what not to do. We have demonstrated how the logo is an integral tool in our toolbox for expressing our identity and so it should be used in a way that doesn’t stray from this or skew our message. Below are several examples of bad logo usage and how to avoid it.
The elements of image and type should never be re-organised or placed in a different layout, as this reduces the visual impact of our logo and will lower the rates of recognisability.
Never recolour the logo in a shade that isn’t black or white, and especially not in colours that don’t align with our colour scheme as design flow will be lost throughout our various channels.
The logo should not ever be stretched out of its original format and if elements have been placed together, they should also always remain scaled as a whole rather than scaling individually.
SUCCESSFUL Futura Bodoni 72 The font for our logo is ‘Futura’, this font is also used for titles and headings, whilst the main body text is ‘Bodoni 72’, these fonts work together to complement our identity as they are minimal, easy to read and mix traditional elements with the modern for a design that has relevance to 2018, whilst still staying true to our values. These fonts should never be altered or inconsistent, we understand that certain situations may call for alterations in size, but the overall key is to stay consistent throughout the area the type is used. As a guideline, titles should always be the biggest and make use of capital letters, whilst headings should be smaller and lowercase and finally, the main body text should be the smallest text the reader sees which should also be typed in lower case lettering.
FONT APPLICATION
Everything that has gone into creating Beard & Blade is ultimately based around three things; our products, our consumers and our USP which sets us apart. We don’t want things to become confused, and so all of these need to be thoroughly understood for effective usage, as a lack of understanding can damage our image and make us seem like something we’re not. Therefore, in this section we will contextualise our brand identity by illustrating who we are selling to, what it is we are selling and finally, why all of this works through our distinct USP.
4.
THE WHO WHAT & WHY
THE EVERYMAN Our primary consumer is the ‘everyman’ archetype, he is down to earth and values functionality and realism. This consumer is in his 30s with a fair amount of disposable income, which he invests in a small amount of quality products. He knows what he likes and won’t compromise for less – enjoying proper food, proper drink and above all a proper shave. Beard & Blade will attract him because of our sense of craftsmanship, tradition and no fuss attitude, and he will use our products as an aid to express his masculinity through his facial hair. The Everyman is to be the main focus when communicating our message and should always be considered at the forefront of each descision, with representation of who he is and what he wants, throughout the brand.
THE EXPLORER The secondary consumer is the ‘explorer’ archetype, he is in his mid to late 20s and isn’t so set in his ways; enjoying trying new things and experiencing life to the fullest. With this, he has less disposable income, and so more likely to purchase products separately rather than in a kit, but will be drawn to Beard & Blade for our sturdiness and the aesthetic of old school design. His motivations are centred around his appearance and looking good, and so our products will be used by him as an aid to express his sense of individuality through styling. The Explorer should be considered and marketed to as a secondary focus, he still needs to still be represented within the brand whilst making sure that we do not to alienate the primary consumer group.
OUR DISTINCT RANGE
Prep
A comb for laying the groundwork
Shape
Tools to achieve precise style
Cut
Razors that allow expert smoothness
Sculpt
Smaller razors for detailed zones
& THE STYLE TO MATCH
Design
Inspired by a toolbox and made using raw materials, with subtle branding engraved on the lid and handles of the tools themselves.
Details
The toolbox ‘Edge’ encompasses all the essentials with the option to purchase the tools in a kit or each individually.
DIFFERENTIATING OURSELVES Differentiating ourselves is important for our success and ability to conquer the shaving and grooming industry because the market is highly saturated and competition is fierce, and so we need to be better than what’s already out there and bring something fresh, new and exciting to the table. Our USP is rooted in the combination of the consumer in which we target and the style of our products. With this, we differentiate ourselves through creating a sense of belonging for men who want to express either their masculinity or their individuality, with the promise of being straightforward, simple and traditional for our consumer to get a proper shave without all the unncecessary fuss.
“
We are a hand-crafted, old-school and minimal designed kit for the mature Millennial, allowing them to express their masculinity and individuality freely with the confidence of quality. - Our USP
5.
HOW WE COMMUNICATE Our tools for communication are fundamental for Beard & Blade to be able to reach the consumer and be a cut above the competition. With this, there needs to be a strong message that is conveyed across channels for our voice to stand proud and be recognised broadly, whilst considering our consumer for a cohesive communication strategy.
#PROPERSHAVE Our communications will embrace a broad range of channels, from social media to print, which together should accumulate into one unified expression of character that brings our message into the lives of the consumer, with integration making it a simple, straight forward journey across platforms. A campaign will be used to do this and bring us to life in the minds of the consumers, centring around our ideology through the bold hashtag ‘PROPERshave’, instilling the idea that no other shave compares to the one you get with our products. This campaign will integrate the on and offline spheres whilst making use of bloggers to promote and spread the message far and wide to get more people involved to make their beard the best that it can be. The hashtag can also be used in a vast array of ways by switching up the words we use in front of it for full integration and relevance no matter what purpose it is serving.
THE CAMPAIGN
Show us your #PROPERshave encourages the beard lovers out there to get involved and share their own content and express their individuality through our products. This has the added bonus of user generated content that can be reposted by us.
Show us your...
Discover a... Discover a #PROPERshave will be used as the standard communication tool with this campaign both online and offline, to serve the purpose of reeling people in and intriguing them to explore further by visiting the hashtag for themselves.
Win a #PROPERshave engages new consumers and widens our reach with competitions for them to be able to get their hands on a kit of their own. This exposes new facial hair fanatics to our products and a better shave at little cost to us, it’s a win-win!
Win a...
Your guide to a... Your guide to a #PROPERshave will be used within YouTube videos and the leaflets that come with the products so we can be the helpful and upstanding brand that we are, by offering tips and tricks to improve the nations beard standard one step at a time.
GOING FURTHER AFIELD
To push ourselves to the limit and strengthen our standings we will throw a collaboration into the mix, as the men’s clothing brand ‘Universal Works’ will work with us to produce a range of products which will break boundaries and grab attention by merging our consumer bases for mutual benefit. Universal Works show similarities and compatibility as an up and coming brand who create quality pieces with an emphasis on minimal styling and the designer’s upbringing, however, they combine this with a contemporary feel which will make us relevant to 2018 whilst staying true to our traditional elements in terms of products.
Behind the Scenes Leading up to the launch of the collaboration, we will get people all fired up by taking them behind the scenes with sneak peaks and footage of the collaboration coming together, this will be done in the form of YouTube videos and Instagram stories for the consumer to follow our journey and be a part of the process.
Influencers We will make use of influencers, such as Carlos Costa, by sending products pre-release for them to share on their social media platforms, blogs or videos. This allows their followers to get a first-hand look at the products in use, with reviews and step by step walkthroughs to get a feel for what’s new and why they should care.
The Big Launch To generate buzz and excitement as well as connect on a deeper level with our consumer, we will use pop-up shops for a way to introduce the collaboration, in which there will be live in-store experiences such as a barber shop set up where the consumer can test the products and try out a better shave.
What’s stopping you? A better beard awaits...
BeardandBlade.co.uk Nottingham, UK