Successful branding starts at the end and works backwards – beginning with the end user. Understanding the customer or target audience is imperative. Getting an insight into who they are, where they live, what they do on the weekends and how much they travel are all important demographics. Appreciating whether they buy based on price or brand, what magazines they read and what media channels they interact with and how are all just as important psychographics which form the basis of our branding process.
The Weekend Tripper’s customer is a smart, savvy thirty-something professional. They care about how they look and will invest in a nice hand-made pair of leather shoes; they read Smith Journal; have a hint of New York about them; and weekend trips for work or pleasure are commonplace in their busy schedule. They don’t own a suitcase and wouldn’t be caught dead wheeling one behind them; they’d rather inject a little bit of luxury into their travel with a smart leather overnighter.
Like their target audience, The Weekend Tripper needed a strong, sophisticated visual identity that was no mess, no fuss. A distinct logotype coupled with pattern elements formed a toolbox of elements outside of a traditional logo that can be adapted and re-mixed in various applications.
After extensive exploration we settled on Bodoni, which, still being an iconic typeface after 200 years, proved it would stand the test of time and bring the classic style that The Weekend Tripper and its customer embody.
With a logotype that is clean and crisp, a pattern was an important element to give the brand character and a unique visual identity. Playing with the concept of travel, movement, and journey, we developed various pattern elements in vintage-inspired colours like navy, cream, mustard that gave a nod to the purpose of the brand’s products in an abstract way.
The resulting brand identity for The Weekend Tripper reflected the qualities and values not only of the business and its crafted, high quality products, but of the personal attributes important to the customer. In our modern society, brands are much more than products, and are motifs that reflect our identity. Building a brand that resonates with the end user is the first step to brand recognition and brand loyalty.
