Yak Yak Part 4: Round 1

In Part 1 you were introduced to Operation Mercy and their yarn and clothing company called Yak Yak. In Part 2 you joined us on our field trip to local yarn shops to get a feel for the marketplace. In Part 3 we narrowed the scope and showed you our design narratives and mood boards. For Part 4, we’ve created our initial concepts to present to the client.

Each concept is carefully revealed with the logo first, followed by the rationale, then the applications of the brand. We find that a lonely logo often leaves a client feeling underwhelmed since they can’t see the vision in our designer brains. So, we make it real for them and present concepts that are fully articulated in the first round. Below are the rationales and options presented to Yak Yak. To see our presentation exactly as our client would, click here.

Option 1 : Humanitarian / Rugged Pamir Culture

Geared towards the ‘adventurer’ this option speaks to both the humanitarian nature of Project Mercy’s mission in Tajikistan as well as the hi-tech quality of the fiber itself. Elegant photography of the rugged Pamiri people is the main drive behind this concept keeping the consumer engaged with the story and the people themselves. This helps to connect them to the cause of helping the Pamirs as well as having a visual testimonial to the fact that Yak wool is one of the strongest and most durable fibers on the planet. Used in the harsh climate of Tajikistan for more than 1200 years, it has stood the test of time and the elements.

Option 2 : High End Boutique

For the accomplished knitter who knows quality and is happy to pay for it, this option emphasizes the high-end aspect of Yak yarn as a luxury good. It exemplifies its appeal as a competitor to other fine yarns such as cashmere. At first glance the tiny details may look like standard embellishment, but upon further inspection one notices that the curls and swirls are actually composed of yarn fiber. This plays on the idea that yak yarn will primarily be used by this demographic for high style embellishments and garnishing.

Option 3 : Quirky / Custom Made

This one is for the ‘hipster knitter’ – thirty-somethings who are in it for the craft and unique aesthetic of hand-made goods. This option is for the client who recognizes quality and wants a specialty yarn for it’s rarity. Mid-century modern designers such as Alexander Girard lend their graphic folk-art style and color while elements of hand-lettered type speak to the high-end nature of the product by promoting it’s ultimate uniqueness and personality.

Brand Identities Aren’t Just Pretty

Yak Yak’s job is to now pick one of the approaches for the subsequent refining rounds. Do they want to emphasize the humanitarian aspect of working with the Pamiri people? Do they want to fit comfortably into high end boutiques? Do they want to appeal to the hipster knitters? The decision for them is less about what they are aesthetically drawn to and more about who they want to be when they grow up.

We find this challenge to be a universal truth for all brand identity projects, which is often a surprising revelation to our clients. Good brand identities are more than eye candy. Yes, the identity needs to be aesthetically pleasing, but what is more important is that it communicate who the client is, what they do, and why they matter. (We didn’t come up with that idea – we stole it from Robert Brunner & Stewart Emery. You should buy their book and steal it too.)

Yak Yak’s decision is coming next.