Fuller Knives

CASE STUDY: LOGO/Brand Identity

Project Goal

In 2020, I worked with a small boutique knife company to develop a logo and type treatment. The resulting logo and type treatment would be etched on every product sold and used in a variety of media and packaging scenarios. Hand-crafted Japanese style knives sold at a high price point, the logo needed to be sharp, precise and confident.

My role as a graphic designer was to create the logo and lockup for the company brand, as well as direct the typography. Because a name had yet to be selected, I also took a collaborative role in the brainstorming. My stakeholders in the project were the two co-owners, as well as a creative director who was also in charge of copy.

Discovery Phase

A slide desk was provided by the creative director that summarized the direction, roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders. Because the company was concurrently developing the brand name, we worked on name pitches at the same time we were developing a visual identity.

Both are drawn to this common lockup style: brand name with an icon above or embedded within the name

STONG & Silent

it should be straightforward, hardy, and recognizable without having to rely on ornate backgrounds or frilly serif fonts.

Identifiable

The logo lockup has to be easily identifiable, unique in its own way so that the maker’s mark can stand on it own when stamped on a knife.

Natural Form

For icons, both are drawn to natural forms, especially water-themed, like rivers considering their home base.

Swipe indicating likes

Swipe indicating dislikes

Audience

The company will craft knives that covers several needs: 1) household/kitchen 2) utility/outdoor, with a possible extension into novelty merchandise like hats, coasters, and bottle openers as a way to get their branding out there.

The target audience will be culinary enthusiasts who use only the finest ingredients and techniques. Our users will be looking for the highest quality tools available with an eye for exquisite craftsmanship. These knives will enter the market at a high price-point, so the customer will expect precision quality.

FINDING A NAME

Finding inspiration in their presence by the Petaluma River, these names explore the heritage vibe they seek by focusing on the element that binds us all together: water

After group brainstorming, a concepting slide deck was provided by the creative director outlining potential company names along with reasoning and variations on the name ideas.

Sample of name from pitch deck. Ultimately Fuller knives was selected.

C/O Knives
Tidal Knives
Fuller Knives
Beans and Blades
Of Knives and Men
Oxbow Blades
Rivertown Forge

Initial Sketches

With a list of potential names, I began exploring abstractions of water and knives. There were many interesting intersections to be found, such as the curve of a finely shaped blade with the curve of a wave. Thumbnails were refined into larger renderings, then scanned for review by the clients.

Round One: Mock-ups

Refined drawings were scanned and treated with different type treatments per the client's request. Backgrounds were added to help give the rough renderings a little more life for the initial pitch. Additional names were also pitched by client and taken into consideration.

ROUND TWO: Sharpening

Approved designs were refined further digitally. One of the clients is named after mathematician Buckminster Fuller, and wanted to explore that connection. While researching Fuller, I found an interesting 'flat map' of the entire Earth he created. Taken as a shape in negative space, it gave an asymetrical yet aesthetically pleasing contour that I decided to investigate.

ROUND THREE: REDUCTION

As we began to hone in on the company vision, the the logo drafts were further reduced into simplified renderings. A new 'hexagon' motif was introduced- another nod to Buckminister Fuller and his hexagonal home designs. After showing the client font options, we agreed to proceed with a strong, sharp, modern sans-serif font called Kiona.

ROUND FOUR: VISUAL TOPOGRAPHY

After further discussion, the clients decided to use the hexagon logo for the primary mark. However, they were in love with the Bucky map idea and wanted to keep it in the stable. We settled on a cool gray, seafoam green and white as a color palate. As a nod to the nautical outdoor identity of the company, topographical lines were introduced for use in certain print and web applications.

Round Five: FINAL DESIGNS

DESIGN IN USE

With the design completed, it was time to release it into the wild! The logo was etched or engraved in every knife moving forward, and reproduced quite well at very small sizes.

While I did not get a chance to develop it further, I mocked up some packaging ideas for securing and shipping the knives. I did however design and print custom metallic laminated business cards that won a Printing Industry of America award in 2018.

What I learned:

This was the first project that I was able to work with a very talented creative director who helped guide the process. I learned about pitch decks, how to work with assigned creative roles and how to leverage my past design experience to create a product the client felt proud to own.

Next Steps

Due to the meticulous and time consuming process it takes to hand craft each knife, the company is currently in a part-time phase. In the future there is discussion of creating a classroom teaching system at the forge, so we may be designing learning and promotional materials in the future.

Google Sites

Report abuse