PROCESS BOOK for the Strategic Brand Development for Audrey

by Amanda Keenan

ContentsRESEARCHInitial Search & ConsiderationsGood MaterialsCompetitionTarget Market

VERBAL VOICEMind mapWordsBrand PersonaBrand Essence:Brand PurposeBrand ValuesBrand PromiseBrand Story Development

VISUAL VOICEInitial Type Exploration & Typographic Treatment of the Visual IdentitySketchesMid-Stage Development of Visual IdentityMore SketchesLate-Stage Development of Visual IdentityTweaks & Final Visual IdentitySecondary Graphical ElementInitial Image WorldPhotoshoot of Image WorldColour Palette DevelopmentBrand TypographyBrand book LayoutDecisions of Applications of BrandStationery Development

RESEARCHInitial Search & Considerations

Good MaterialsCompetition

Target Market

Initial Search:Audrey is a company that is considerate of the planet in the design and creation of unique fashions. It is sustainable and fair to both the people that make the products and to the materials. This is still something that I will work out in fine detail, however for now I believe that it is a company that is good to the planet and promotes good style in a sustainable way.

I started my research by finding what it out there at the moment in regards to environmentally cautious fashion. I learned that there are lots of companies out there at the moment that are jumping on the sustainability band wagon.

Considerations:What materials are sustainable?What materials use fair trade practices?What shipping methods do they have?What are the workers treated like?Who is the competition?Who is the world leader in sustainable fashion?What makes them successful? Who is the target market?Where is sustainable fashion currently sold? Why? Who is there?Is there a slow (fashion) design movement?

Good Materials:I consider good materials to be materials that come from places in the world where the workers can afford the clothing that they are making, that they can feed their families, and have shelter. I believe that good materials comes from workers that are treated the way I want to be treated – fairly with respect and a good wage. Good materials do not put toxins in our water supply or in our soil and they are not a source of massive greenhouse gas emissions.

INITIAL WEB RESOURCES:

eco-fashion companies:www.kuyichi.comwww.sweetgrassfibers.comwww. btcelements.comwww.ethicsgirls.co.ukwww.edunonline.comwww.saltsorganic.comwww.greenisblack.ca

materials & practices resources:www.sustainablecotton.orgwww.ecofashionworld.comwww.kuyichi.com

INITIAL BOOK RESOURCES:

identity inspiration:1000 garment graphicslogo lounge 4the best of letterhead & logo design

Organic Cotton25% of all insecticides used globally are used for growing cotton. These chemicals pollute soil and water and thereby killing wildlife and being harmful to the people that work on the land. Organic cotton is not chemically dependent, and uses natural approaches for growing that are both sustainable for the planet and the framers and their communities.

UpcycledUpcycled materials are materials that have been used before – with a previous life. Things like car tires are now seen are shoe soles.

HempHemp is one of the strongest and most durable natural fibres on the planet! It grows quickly without the need for much water, and produces is more sustainable to grow than cotton.

LinenMade from the fibre of the flax plant, it is 2 to 3 times stronger than cotton. The cultivating process is much like that of cotton but uses less water. Linen and cotton is often mixed to create a great product that has a luxurious and rich.

BambooBamboo does not need pesticides or fertilizers, and it’s roots retain water, thus sustaining the riverbanks and reducing water pollution. It grows quickly and is extremely sustainable. The fabrics are very soft, and drape like silk – beautiful alternative to cotton.

These images are from the Kuyichi website – the rigid and natural look is what I envision for Audrey

The Competition:There is definitely a differentiation between what is out there currently and Audrey. Here is a list of similar companies I have found that would pose as competition in the market.

People Tree www.peopletree.co.ukNau www.nau.comSweetgrass www.sweetgrassfibers.comBTC Elements www.btcelements.comEG www.ethicsgirls.co.ukKuyichi www.kuyichi.com

Target Market

Target MarketMy primary target group is women, aged 25 – 40 year, who are style conscious and care for the impact of their consumer choices. They shop locally when they can, they buy their groceries at farmer’s markets and grow their own vegetable gardens. They use public transit or a bicycle as transportation, yet they remain stylish and unique. They have an artsy side; either by photography, film, or even decorating their home. They blog – people value their opinions, whether they know them or not, they are trusted.

THEY WANT:• style for everyday wear, both day & night• unique clothing that will make them feel like they are making a

statement with what they wear.• customizable.• comfort• low environmental impact• friendly to the workers that make their clothing• they would rather shop locally

My secondary target group is young women, aged 15 – 25, who are just starting to be conscious of their environmental impact through their clothing. I want to target this group with a message that being green in style doesn’t mean you need to walk around in rags. Above all this group wants a unique style that they can personalize.

VERBAL VOICEMind map

WordsBrand Persona

Brand Essence:Brand Purpose

Brand ValuesBrand Promise

Brand Story Development

Mind map of what I believe Audrey, as a brand is.

One thing is for sure that is that Audrey is about style – it has a sense in fashion which has both a feminine and masculine feel – the ripped, handmade aspect of the brand is the more masculine side, while the twirly, scriptiness relates to the feminine side of the brand.

WordsIn order to figure out if I should change the name, I am creating a list of words that I believe relate to what I envision this brand to be.

ADJECTIVESThoughtfulPeaceLoveHappinessSlowAppreciativeCaringFuturisticKnowledgeStyleTrendsetterHipFeminineMasculine?RigidUniqueCustomPersonal styleMeta messagingFlowEnergyRhythmOneIndieVintageHistoryStoryTimeHandmadeGoodFreedomOrganicDecor

DistressedCityBloomsPreciousRareCherishNewFactArtCozyChicLiberationBeautifulConsciencePassionWarmZero footprintFashionRomanticInfluenceAdmiredElegantIconSleekSimpleNeatTimelessHybridOld & newConfidentFancyClassyHand written

NOUNSPlanetGuerillaHippieGardenPlantTreeRootsEarthUrbanCountryGrassOutfitsRufflesGenerationArtifactSweatshop freeHollywoodStar

VERBSSustainEducateMovementGrowCreatePairingRe-purpose

If Audrey was a room it would look like the room on the top left. Elegant, cherished with a touch of personal style.

Brand Persona:Urban, Romantic, Stylish, Natural, Planet-Friendly, Real

Brand Essence: Unique style for the planet friendly fashionista.

Brand Purpose:To provide unique style through fashionable, environmentally & socially friendly clothing.

Brand Values:Environmentally ConsciousSocially considerateStylishUniqueKind

Brand Promise:Timeless style with a conscious.

Brand Story Development:Audrey is considerate of the planet in the design and creation of unique fashions for women. They recognize that the planet is fragile, and also that women need to feel good about themselves, with a knowledge that they are making the right decisions regarding their style and the planet.

Audrey designs clothing for women in a method that is sustainable and fair to both the people that make the products and to the materials. The are good to the planet and promote good style in a sustainable way.

Audrey recognizes that women need to express themselves with the styles they wear – it conveys their personality and their sense of value. Audrey is a fashion line that is not just dressing women in unique and beautiful styles, but they do it with a conscious. Audrey recognizes that the planet is in trouble, and that every action big and small has an impact on a global scale. By using organic and fair trade materials they are reducing the amount of chemicals from pesticides that are ending up in water systems – chemicals that are killing wildlife and are harmful to humans. By being good to the people who farm the materials, Audrey is also being good for the planet. They use fair trade suppliers as a way to not support poor labour wages or slave labour, and to respect the source of the beautiful materials for their garments.

By respecting the environment and the people who grow the materials, they are respecting their products and also the women who need a source of good style and fashions with the worry of guilt for their choices. It makes a difference emotionally to both Audrey and the consumers of their garments. It also makes a difference environmentally and socially.

Audrey is connecting with villages in rural areas around the world and developing a relationship with the workers that is sustainable to both the workers and the environment. As Audrey grows, more relationships will be made with a goal to support and fund education in these rural communities.

who they are.

what they do.

why they do it.

what difference it makes.

what is their future, and the

inspirational and aspirational aspects that will drive them there.

We are kind to the planet and to ourselves. We believe that style should be kind to the environment and to the people of the planet, while tailoring to the need for elegant style for thoughtful urban women. From the considerations we take when we buy our materials to the programs we offer for the people living in communities who carefully craft the elegant fabric, we are constantly monitoring our sustainability practices and social responsibilities we have in those communities. The elegance lies in the organic fabrics that are durable, lovely, stylish, and above all ethically traded with sustainable growing practices. The fashions are as timeless as the name, and as elegant as women want to feel day and night. By respecting the environment and the people of the planet we create unique fashions for women that make a positive difference environmentally, socially and also personally for the unique and kind women.

Final Brand Story:

I decided that the best way to tell the story of Audrey was to include the readers as part of the brand, after all it is their brand and they are part of it.

VISUAL VOICEInitial Type Exploration & Typographic Treatment of the Visual Identity

SketchesMid-Stage Development of Visual Identity

More SketchesLate-Stage Development of Visual Identity

Tweaks & Final Visual IdentitySecondary Graphical Element

Initial Image WorldPhotoshoot of Image World

Colour Palette DevelopmentBrand TypographyBrand book Layout

Decisions of Applications of BrandStationery Development

Website & AdsAll other applications

Type explorationThe next step for me was to choose a direction, and by that I thought to explore my font library.

After looking through some signatures and script fonts, I decided to take it a step further. With choosing the beautiful elegant Burgues Script, I decided that roughing it up a bit to create a more ‘stamp’ like feel would add to the uniqueness to the brand. It has the elegant turns and twirls of loose threads and offers a quality that appears hand rendered. I read recently in the book Fingerprint by the Chen Design Associates, that handmade design is considered by the public as being more authentic, more real, and that way it is valued for it’s uniqueness. A brand that has this appearance would not just be valued more, but would be trusted... as though a friend made the clothing.

Sketches:These are a few of the sketches that were originally spawned from my type exploration. At that point I decided that a good direction for the logo would be to have a handmade, scripty undertone to reflect the uniqueness of the brand... And so this is what I sketched:

Visual Identity Development:These are my initial concepts for the visual identity for Audrey.

More Sketches:The following few pages showcase my many, many sketches.

...And then, there it was, and I knew in my gut it was the right direction. The curves were perfect, so elegant and stylish. I knew it was time to stop the madness of writing Audrey over and over again in a multitude of writing instruments. I finally had a direction to go with this visual identity.

Visual Identity:Once I made the perfect signature for Audrey, it was time to put it into action, so I explored the overlapping light signatures in the background, and at the moment I’m not sure which is the best direction, but all 3 versions of this concept seem to work for me.

TweaksWith some tweaks here and there, I'm hoping that the logo is near competition. I took out some of the natural flaws – like the bump from the A that was in the U. I also added a counter to the E and spaced out the last couple letters so that the E wasn't so squished.

Secondary Graphical ElementsThis scripty element came from my sketches and idea that the logo should have multiple layers of scripts. After much deliberation I decided that the background signatures will be better suited as a secondary design element, used with out without the logo depending on application. This gave me the freedom to use this textural graphical element throughout the brand book and applications.

PhotographyIn order to get the exact look I wanted for the Audrey brand, I needed to do it myself – Plus I figured this would be a good use of showing my photography skills. So I got a friend that was in my target market – young professional who is style conscious... and we headed to the Distillery District in Toronto for a photoshoot. I had together a number of different outfits that I thought represented Audrey, and I shot in a few different locations in the Distillery. The brick background really conveyed the edge and rough aspects of Audrey. The image world that I originally put together was nice, however I felt that it was a bit too light and airy and there wasn't enough of that urban, edgy quality to them. This photoshoot was a huge success for me – with 500+ photos to choose from, I ended up with quite a few beautiful shots.

Colour Exploration:Once I made the perfect signature for Audrey, it was time to put it into action, so I explored the overlapping light signatures in the background, and at the moment I’m not sure which is the best direction, but all 3 versions of this concept seem to work for me.

PANTONE 309 M75%

PANTONE 309 M100%

PANTONE 309 M50%

PANTONE 7547 M

C 82M 66Y 65K 79

C 25M 0Y 2K 18

C 50M 0Y 5K 36

C 75M 0Y 7K 54

C 100M 0Y 9K 72

R 10G 18B 19

R 173G 197B 210

R 128G 164B 176

R 0G 107B 131

R 0G 74B 97

PANTONE 309 M25%

ColoursWell I narrowed down the colours and chose PMS 309M mixed with PMS 7547 M for the visual identity of Audrey, however the secondary colours I grabbed from the photos I took. These colours repeat quite often in the photography.

PANTONE 309 M75%

PANTONE 309 M100%

PANTONE 309 M50%

PANTONE 7547 M

C 82M 66Y 65K 79

C 25M 0Y 2K 18

C 50M 0Y 5K 36

C 75M 0Y 7K 54

C 100M 0Y 9

R 10G 18B 19

R 173G 197B 210

R 128G 164B 176

R 0G 107B 131

K 72R 0G 74B 97

PANTONE 309 M25%

Colour Palette BPrimary Colour Palette

The primary colour palette for the Audrey consists of a cool blue, mixed with a slightly cool black.

Secondary Colour Palette B

These colours also appear often in the photography and so I thought it would be good idea to use this palette as well. So in the end I used both palettes, A & B.

TypographyI am exploring, heading, subheading and body copy fonts that would work well the Audrey brand. These fonts will be use in the brand manual and as part of the visual identity in such things as garment tags and signage.

neutraface 2 text: demi

neutraface 2 text: book italic

neutraface 2 text: book

scala sans : bold

scala : regular

scala sans : light

HEADINGA Subheading with MeaningLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris rhoncus rutrum mi, sed rutrum erat laoreet id. Aenean euismod, dolor vitae suscipit pharetra, diam orci congue velit, vitae blandit nunc ipsum eget neque. Aenean id turpis quis diam viverra hendrerit vel sed neque. Suspendisse elementum, quam quis sagittis porttitor, augue leo porttitor nibh, sed fringilla dui turpis.

HEADINGA Subheading with Meaning

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris

rhoncus rutrum mi, sed rutrum erat laoreet id. Aenean euismod,

dolor vitae suscipit pharetra, diam orci congue velit, vitae blandit

nunc ipsum eget neque. Aenean id turpis quis diam viverra hendrerit

vel sed neque. Suspendisse elementum, quam quis sagittis porttitor,

augue leo porttitor nibh, sed fringilla dui turpis.

archer: extra light

archer: light italic

archer: book

din : black

din cond : regular

din : light

HEADINGA Subheading with MeaningLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris rhoncus rutrum mi, sed rutrum erat laoreet id. Aenean euismod, dolor vitae suscipit pharetra, diam orci congue velit, vitae blandit nunc ipsum eget neque. Aenean id turpis quis diam viverra hendrerit vel sed neque. Suspendisse elementum, quam quis sagittis porttitor, augue leo porttitor nibh, sed fringilla dui turpis.

HEADINGA Subheading with Meaning

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris rhoncus rutrum mi, sed rutrum erat laoreet id. Aenean euismod, dolor vitae suscipit pharetra, diam orci congue velit, vitae blandit nunc ipsum eget neque. Aenean id turpis quis diam viverra hendrerit vel sed neque. Suspendisse elementum, quam quis sagittis porttitor, augue leo porttitor nibh, sed fringilla dui.

Brand BookHere I am exploring the layout of the brand book for Audrey. The book will be the same size as this one; 8 X 10. I find that this is a nice and manageable size. The paper will be an uncoated 100% recycled stock, so something like Enviro100 from Cascades or Rollands. There will be no bleach used in the process of making the paper, and ideally the paper company will have used renewable energy in their paper making process. (I believe Enviro100 does). If the budget allows for it, the book will be printed using vegetable based inks. The book will not be very bright, considering the stock, however I don't think that it needs to be for this brand and actually says something deeper about the brand – that they actually care for more than just their pocketbook.

Front CoverLogo

Image

Image

Inside Front CoverIntro slogan

Brand Story

Persona cont.Persona

Brand Story

5 column grid, 3/4" gutter, 3/4" top margin, 1/2" outer and bottom margins

Brand Essence

Image World

Colors Secondary Colours Fonts

Brand Values

Brand Promise Wordmark & Slogan

Secondary Design Element

Shown in Use Online Ad Magazine Ad

WebsiteWebsite

Home(lots of images)

Shop& store locations

About Audrey & Learn

Blog

Business Stationery Architectural Signagematerials & usage

Brand BookContinued exploration of layout and flow of the brand book.

Car or Bike Shown in Use Clothing Tag Gift Card / Membership card

Alternative Audrey Concepts

Alternative Audrey Concepts

Back Cover

This Make 42 Pages

Applications: As for applications of the brand, some ideas that I have are:

• website• clothing tag• price tag• store signage• blog• stationery• advertisement... like maybe in a newspaper or magazine• web ad• blog ad (also web, but maybe smaller)• newsletter (online)• vehicle (a cute one, like the Nissan Figaro)

These are the 6 applications I will be focusing on.

Stationery DevelopmentThis is the initial concept for the business card and letterhead.

I'm kind of thinking that it's a bit dark for the brand, although the layout works well. I ended up going lighter, with the contact information on the reverse side. I concentrated on the paper stock as the element that provides an additional element that links this card to the Audrey brand – Revive® is the paper stock that I would choose for the stationery package because it is made from 100% PWC Recycled paper, and produced at a plant that used wind energy in the manufacturing of the paper.

Eva Smith Brand Manager

Call: 416 278 1234 Email: eva@audreyelegance.comPostage: 215 Queen St East Suite 38, Toronto Ontario M4M 3J7

www.audreyelegance.com

www.audreyelegance.com

Call416 278 1234

Emailhello@audreyelegance.com

Postage215 Queen St East Suite 38, Toronto Ontario M4M 3J7

Dear Mrs Ipsum:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum neque urna, aliquam ut consequat ut, gravida nec augue. Vivamus egestas consequat neque, eu eleifend sapien gravida sit amet. Mauris lobortis porttitor mauris, ac fermentum orci luctus condimentum. Proin blandit tincidunt rhoncus. Se sem erat, hendrerit non aliquet ac, semper ut leo. Maecenas ornare velit tortor, eu pulvinar quam. Jilo Nullam posuere vehicula ipsum semper cursus. Proin eu tellus ante, in consectetur urna. Vivamus se eros mauris. Cras at mauris id augue lobortis consequat vel eget dolor. Nunc gravida volutpat ieujojleleifend. Pellentesque dignissim purus ut nibh dignissim tristique. Pellentesque purus ante, lobortis ut tristique sit amet, porttitor sit amet tortor.

Morbi eros mauris, viverra placerat dapibus sit amet, commodo vitae metus. Ut mauris felis, odo non lobortis nec, vulputate sed tortor. Mauris posuere convallis ante vitae rhoncus. Maecenas lobortis et turpis in massa posuere placerat. Mauris commodo tempus risus, a lacinia diam facilisis eget.

Nunc nec odio quis ipsum imperdiet posuere vitae quis lectus. Morbi eu tristique leo. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Vestibulum ut metus aliquet eti diam tempor porttitor quis non odio. Etiam urna nulla, dapibus non porta et, consequat vel ligulaolp. Suspendisse potenti. Curabitur iaculis velit sit amet urna lacinia dapibus. Phasellus condimentum, ei tellus in vestibulum fermentum, massa est porttitor mi, sed scelerisque eros est a nisl. Quisque facilisis hendrerit lacus, ut ultricies purus convallis nec. Proin eget est nunc. Pellentesque habitant morbi oiy tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Integer sed justo a metus vestibu solum interdum vel a est. Praesent ipsum magna, condimentum eu sagittis quis, feugiat sit amet mi.

Kind Regards,

Audrey

Find a location near you or shop online atwww.audreyelegance.com

Smile shorts

Pure caridigan

from ultra soft organic bamboo

from strong & durable hemp

from upcycled leather and used vehicle tires for the soles

Urbanist bootsMindful Elegance for the planet conscious fashionista To find a store location near you

or to shop online visit www.audreyelegance.com

Website & AdsI decided to take 2 approaches to the visual advertisements. The first is entirely based an introduction to the brand – it is simplistic and doesn't go into long paragraphs of copy. It is an introduction that gets people intrigued and leads them to the Audrey website for more info. The second advertisement display the clothing over an introduction. It specifically says what the clothing is made from and a small call to action that leads people to the website.

The website I decided to keep is the warm, brown colour palette. I kept it looking natural with plenty of texture. I decided to show 2 pages, the home page and also the Outfits page under the heading; 'Clothes'. All outfits have been named after words associated with the distillery district in Toronto – this gives it the urban style that I was after – urban and elegant style for the planet conscious fashionista.

Process BookAmanda Keenanhello@amandakeenan.comCopyright© Amanda Keenan 2010

Strategic Brand Development OneProf. Frederick BurbachOntario College of Art & Design