Brand Platform
O B S E R V AT I O N S & I N S I G H T S
DIG™ Session
Putting an established and enduring brand like
These pieces have given us the fuel we need to
KABANA under the DIG microscope is always a
freshen up the KABANA image and thrust it into
complicated matter.
the designer jewelry spotlight.
On one hand, we have a brand that has gained
The platform that is presented in the following
customer loyalty and recognizability. On the
pages is 100% true to the KABANA brand, as it
other, well-worn brands have a tendency
was revealed to us by you.
to forsake progress for complacency. The challenge is to move forward while remaining true to an inherent personality that brings with it loyalty and expectations. For us, the bridge between the two is the DIG Discovery Process. After embedding ourselves into the KABANA culture for just two days, we feel we’ve unearthed the basic elements that comprise the crux of the brand.
Without too much foreshadowing, we’ll just say KABANA (and this book) is full of pride and, above all, passion. Yiamas!
P R I N C I P L E S P E R S O N A L I T Y P R O M I S E Core Values
Principles
Personality
A company’s Principles are its true character.
A brand’s Personality consists of the qualities
They are the distinctive and internalized qualities
and attributes it projects to the public. Ideally, a
that emerge when no one is watching.
company’s Personality and Principles will intersect and share similar, if not identical, qualities.
›› Loyalty & Faithfulness
›› Emotion
›› Family Spirit
›› Pride in creation
›› Proud
›› Sophisticated
›› Liveliness
›› Passionate
›› Playful
›› Spontaneous
Promise
The Promise is the synthesis of the Principles and Personality. It is the core value that serves as the genesis for the entirety of the brand platform.
Exude passion and pride in everything we do.
M I S S I O N V I S I O N P O S I T I O N Brand Roadmap
Mission
Vision
Position
The simplest and truest of statements, the
The Vision is a roadmap for the future that
A brand’s Position defines its unique and
Mission answers the question “Why do we exist
explains how the Mission will be achieved.
strategic place in a market or industry. It’s a
other than to make money?”
declaration of what sets the brand apart from the competition. We will focus our creativity, spirit, and
Spread passion for unique & beautiful things.
impeccable customer service on the domestic market to make people fall in love with
KABANA is the world’s leading designer of
Kabana’s handmade designer inlay jewelry.
luxury inlay jewelry. We use unexpected but naturally-occurring materials to create oneof-a-kind adornments for people who share our passion for life, love and the beauty that surrounds us. Every piece of KABANA jewelry is designed and created by hand, one piece at a time, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
B R A N D E S S E N C E A Brand Essence is the carefully crafted public message that says who we are and what we do. It introduces the world to the voice and personality of the brand.
Voice
At KABANA, we are the embodiment of passion. Passion for life. For love. For the world and its abounding beauty. Our passion for these things - the unique and the beautiful - is what drives us to the point of creation. It compels us to conceive and create the remarkable – Handmade adornments that, through touch alone, possess the power to connect people to moments… and memories…. and emotion. Brilliant objects existing at the convergence of spontaneity and sophistication. Our work is a reflection of who we are – Artists and artisans of diverse cultures, drawn together in harmony by a desire to create. And passion above all.
B R A N D E X P R E S S I O N The Brand Expression is a phrase that embodies the brand’s personality and expresses the principal benefit or impact it has on the consumer.
Voice
Handmade for you in New Mexico since 1975.
Aktiv Grotesk is a modern typeface with endless versatility. By simply Typography
adding weight, the elegant, thin lines become strong and powerful. In a single font, we have contrast and continuity—a rare combination.
Aktiv Grotesk. Light
Regular
Medium
“The Greeks didn’t write obituaries. They only
“Passion will move men beyond themselves,
“A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision
asked one question after a man died, ‘Did he
beyond their shortcomings, beyond their
comes from passion, not position.”
have passion?’”
failures.”
– John Maxwell
– Serendipity, The Movie
– Joseph Campbell, American Mythologist, Writer, & Lecturer
Bold
XBold
Black
“Passion rebuilds the world for the youth.
“Nothing great in the world has ever
“There is no end. There is no beginning.
It makes all things alive and significant.”
been accomplished without passion.”
There is only the passion of life.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
– Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
– Federico Fellini
Numbers & Glyphs
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 . , ; : ? ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( )
Passion
Blush
Silhouette
Colors driven by passion and inspired by the Grecian sunset.
Dusk
Horizon
Slate
100%
75%
100%
PMS 689C
75% PMS 688C
25%
50%
25%
50%
100%
75%
100%
75%
PMS 5415C
25%
PMS 7695C
50%
25%
50%
P E R F E C T I N G L E T T E R F O R M S
Evolution
We often say a logo is not a brand. That it is
The refined marked is deeply rooted in the
merely a single element of a much more involved
original Albertus typeface. In fact, we simply
entity. We believe this wholeheartedly, but we
evolved Albertus to fit our needs.
can’t escape the fact that a brand’s mark is often its most recognizable and noticeable feature.
We’ve added symmetry and softness by dampening the angles of the harshest
For that reason, the true test of a strong brand is
letterforms. Adding structure and spacing
a strong mark that can stand the test of time.
allows these characters to exist harmoniously
It’s with this conviction that we feel the KABANA brand mark could benefit from minor
with one another, as if they were made to be arranged in this precise order.
refinement. This is not a redesign. It’s simply an
The resulting mark is elegant, intentional, and
advancement of an established mark.
fashion forward.
1
1
2
1 3
4
5
2
1
6
5
7
6
When using a type-only logo, the overall feel is dependent upon perfecting letterforms. It is important the characters work with one another to provide Evolution
a unique impression, and special attention is needed to provide a strong foundation for the brand.
1 – Trim outer serifs
2 – Shift letter arm/leg/arc
3 – Trim and round link
Softens overall feel while maintaining a
Adds a unique impression to the ‘K’ and
Plays off the evolution of the ‘K’ and establishes
consistent and integrated style.
balances the ‘B’ with the other characters.
a coherent family of letterforms.
4 – Add serif to inside stem
5 – Cut and replace
6 – Mirror for symmetry
Creates a sturdy base for the character’s stance,
The ‘N’ was left-heavy with dramatically sharper
Reflecting characters from the midline enhances
while widening for optical balance.
features. The ‘A’ exhibited a skewed perspective.
uniformity and technical refinement.
7 – Round apex
8 – Level cap and base lines
Slightly rounding the apex softens the ‘A’ to
Technical detailing is the final layer of refinement
share in the family’s harmonious characteristics.
for a lasting composition.
B R A N D M A R K The refined brand mark coupled with the brand expression presents KABANA as brand with poise and purpose. It puts beauty and ambition on display for the world to see and covet.
Visual Identity
Visual Identity
Visual Identity
A BRAND PLATFORM BY