Evolving brand identity of wellness studio
Developing a scalable brand identity and design language for a growing wellness studio seeking to differentiate itself in the competitive yoga and wellness market.
Role:
User Research, Business Analysis, Brand Research, Brand Identity and Application, Visual Language, Design Strategy, Marketing Strategy, Guidelines & Component Library
Skills:
Team:
1 Designer (Me)
1 Founder (Nikita)
2 Focus group (3-5 member each)
Client: Nada Yoga
Challenge & Opportunity
The brand vision is to challenge conventional notions of wellness with a unique look and feel. Offering a deeply traditional approach to Hatha Yoga, the brand distinguishes itself from modern Westernised interpretations by prioritising authentic Sanskrit terminology, exploring the deeper meaning behind each asana, and drawing upon rigorous Iyengar training that encompassed both practical and theoretical examinations. The brand language explore ways to give it a scalable and unique visual language and deeply resonate with the ethos and personality of the brand.
PROBLEM BREAKDOWN
Synthesising the problem
Nada Yoga launched as a boutique studio specializing in personalized yoga consultations and training. Early promotion relied primarily on Instagram, networking within the local community, and leveraging referrals from a prior studio affiliation. Subsequently, our research synthesized three key problem areas.
01. Saturated Market
02. Overuse of visual stereotypes in yoga representation
Wellness brands often suffer from a lack of differentiation, employing similar visual stereotypes like chakras and Sanskrit symbols, resulting in a homogenous and mass-produced aesthetic that gets lost in the crowded market
03. Challenging misconceptions about yoga
The saturation of the wellness market, while providing diverse choices, has also led to the spread of misguided and diluted practices, ultimately undermining the value and authenticity of the original practice. Establishing credibility and demonstrating the practice's value and effectiveness will be a key challenge.
SYNTHESISING THE RESEARCh
Developing a Brand Strategy and Perception
Following this, we examined and integrated our research by building a conceptual mind-map containing the brand's key provisions, marketing strategies, targeted channels, anticipated brand persona, brand comprehension, along with the brand's values and beliefs.
FINAL BRAND IDENTITY
Introducing 'anantava' Brand Identity
After gathering insights from the user review and re-exploring the visual direction. I worked on the below brand identity using Elements of the logo Identity is based on basic shapes to construct the alphabets. ‘an an tava’ - ‘an’ is used as the focus for the symbol of the brand. We adopted a typography-focused approach, using the brand's key sound to develop its identity and scalable brand language.
VISUAL LANGUAGE
Color palette & Typography
Color is central to the brand identity, amplifying brand expression and personality. The palette is curated to reflect a diverse spectrum of human emotions, enriching the visual language with depth and resonance while adhering to WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility guidelines. The typeface, Neue Montreal, a grotesque sans-serif, was chosen for its clean and versatile nature.
Brand Language
Crafting a scalable brand language
Drawing inspiration from the brand name and its focus on infinity and continuity, I developed patterns that serve as the brand's visual language. These patterns, constructed from elements of the core brand identity, enhance brand recall, offer opportunities for a unique visual language, and improve brand scalability and reusability when combined with the vibrant colour palette and variable font.
Brand APPlications
Strategic design applications for targeted marketing
Brand GUIDELINE & COMPONENTS
Brand language strategy and guidelines
Subsequently, I developed comprehensive brand guidelines and a clear brand language direction to maintain a consistent and unified brand experience across all touch points. These guidelines include references and examples of brand applications for various assets used in marketing and promotional channels.
REFLECTION
My Learnings & Key Takeaways
The challenge of brand differentiation in a saturated market: creating a unique voice
Throughout this project, I worked very closely with the project lead, leveraged her extensive experience in both practicing and managing yoga practice (globally) to establish a distinct brand identity for Anantava—a holistic wellness offering encompassing mind, body, and nutrition.Through incorporating observational research of the competitive landscape, gathering extensive user feedback, utilising an iterative design process informed by data-driven insights, and grounding the brand's ethos in authentic principles to ensure the brand's uniqueness within a saturated wellness market.
Consistency is Key
Recognizing that consistent visual language is crucial for positive brand perception, recognition, and recall, I created a comprehensive brand guideline and component library for the highlighting the brand language usage and application. To further address issues of resources and capital, I also built a component library in more simpler design tools like Canva. These resources empower her to maintain a cohesive brand presence across all channels.