The start-up GearGroom Ltd existed on paper, and the initial product development of the all-natural helmet sanitisers and shampoos was on the way. The brand strategy was formed based on the business plan and conversations with the founder. It included brand architecture and platform (brand positioning and identity). At the core of the brand is ‘natural cleanliness and protection’. The working premise for the packaging was “motor-oil meets metrosexual grooming”. Developing the branding thoroughly helped to raise double the initially projected funding. And it resulted in a happy client:

“Stephan Hammes is all about clarity. To that, he adds a superb depth of perception. The two years we’ve worked together [on GearGroom] have been both a pleasure and an education. His thoughtful deconstruction of our ideas led us to an atomistic understanding of our offer, from which he built our brand. Through that, he shaped the company, represented by the striking and beautiful design he is known for. Always calm, always on the money, always on the company’s side by thinking on the customer’s side. You may think you know your company now, but the design confidence and message precision you’ll get from Stephan’s work is of a significantly higher order.” — Bill Brannigan, Entrepreneur

The process: brand architecture → brand platform (positioning + identity)→ brand expression and design

NB: If you double click on the images below, they will enlarge and become more legible.

House of brands as brand architecture gives the line brand more credibility and the corporate brand more flexibility to expand.

The recommended approach was a house of brands like Ferrero (maker’s brand) or more like 3M (endorsing brand), not a branded house like L’Oréal (source brand). Therefore the corporate brand will be more in the background, and the structure will be more akin to 3M, which will allow more freedom to manoeuvre.

So, GearGroom endorses BikeGroom*, etc. => two branding levels with a dominant line brand and discrete corporate brand.

The logotype above is the primary brand mark. The secondary mark below is for special, mostly smaller applications such as social media.

The design for future line brands follows the MotoGroom example by always including a light blue element in the last letter before groom that can work as a stand-alone mark.

The brand platform (positioning + identity) provides a solid foundation for creative execution.

The brand development followed the strategic brand management models and frameworks of Jean-Noël Kapferer, such as the Brand Identity Prism (3rd visual below).

Brand positioning

Brand positioning statement

Brand identity prism

GearGroom, as the corporate brand, sets the overall vision and purpose.

MotoGroom, as the line brand, provides the brand promises.

Brand claim

Initially, we looked at dark green bottles for the sprays, which looked fantastic. But, we had to drop the idea as it was not in line with the brand’s identity (See brand prism ‘Physique’) The amount of copy on labels is a deliberate choice. It re-enforces the brand story ’made by bikers for bikers’ with the product benefits. Citrus Groves. Citrus Fruits and Woods. A Mediterranean coast cruise. Experience the freedom…

Stephan Hammes M 079 6619 5576 mail@stephanhammes.com

Stephan learnt his craft working primarily for the automotive sector (Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Toyota and SEAT ) and F1 (RedBull Racing, Scuderia Toro Rosso and VodafoneMcLaren). So, he is used to a rigorous design process, attention to detail and delivering high-quality. As creative director and designer holding an MBA from Imperial College, he handles projects independently and collaboratively from conception to execution for big brands and SMEs. Currently, he is also consulting start-ups on business models and branding. Experience on LinkedIn