Case studies

From institution to creative powerhouse

Perched at a pivotal moment in its institutional journey, Kolding School of Design found itself transitioning from a traditional design school into a full-fledged design university. The Danish institution, known for its hands-on approach to education and strong industry collaborations, needed a visual identity that could reflect this evolution while maintaining its distinctive character.

Manyone, a global strategic design consultancy, approached the rebrand as part of a comprehensive transformation strategy encompassing physical renovations, digital overhaul, and a renewed educational framework.

Typography that puffs up like dough

When Baku-based designer Mubariz Yusifzade began working on a self-initiated project for the identity of a fictitious bakery called Pastane, an idea was already brewing in his mind. He wanted the identity to break away from traditional tropes of bakery branding – that use illustrations and hand-drawn elements – and create something that truly stood out. The answer, as it turns out, lied in typography. “I chose a simple yet impactful concept – bread that rises as it bakes, with typography that evolves in a similar way. Just as some bakery products stay in the oven for varying durations, resulting in different textures, I applied this idea to typography. This led to the creation of ‘underdone’ and ‘well-done’ fonts, representing different stages of baking,” Yusifzade tells us.

Putting artists in the spotlight

Nestled in New York’s Chelsea district, GOCA (Gallery of Contemporary Art) is the first of its kind, showcasing the oeuvres of both emerging and established artists from Japan and across Asia, with works spanning mediums such as painting, ceramics and sculpture. The initiative, launched by GARDE, a creative branding and interior design firm from Japan, aims to enhance the global recognition of some of the most captivating artistic voices from Japan and Asia. “The gallery’s mission is to offer a space that bridges cultural divides, introducing U.S. audiences to fresh voices in contemporary Asian art,” Senior Designer Sebastian Páez Delvasto explains. “GOCA aims to balance the gravitas of New York’s elite art world with the human warmth of its featured artists.”

Assigned with the brief to create GOCA’s identity, New York City-based brand innovation studio Athletics delved into this idea of duality, developing a look that is both “approachable and sophisticated,” one that will resonate with New York’s established art scene while reflecting the contemporary nature of the works displayed.

A tasteful identity for non-alcoholic wine

Inspired by founder Steve Jackson’s decade of experience in events and celebrations, Society De La Rassi is a sparkling de-alcoholised wine that, with less than 0.5% alcohol, aims to mirror the jubilant experiences of traditional sparkling wines with the prestige to match. The brand’s mission is to fill a luxury-tiered gap in the market – rivaling legacy premium champagne options like Dom Pérignon and Veuve Clicquot.

Noting the global presence and cultural acuity of Blurr Bureau, Jackson reached out to the brand strategy and design team (with studios in New York and Melbourne) “to build his brand from the ground up,” notes Creative Director Caitlin Kennedy Bradley, “one that would hold its own in the wine aisle and in the hands of those who celebrate differently.”

Legal, but make it zen

As our inboxes overflow with privacy policy updates and cookie consent pop-ups become the unwelcome gatekeepers of our online experience, it’s hard not to be reminded of the prevalence of data collection in our day-to-day lives. Yet, what if legal data compliance wasn’t another corporate headache but rather an integrated aspect of business that flowed naturally through operations? What if regulatory adherence could be breezy? This is precisely the paradigm shift that caralegal aims to create. To help communicate their strengths more confidently, they invited Berlin-based Sonder Studio to lead their rebrand.

Interviews

Zitong Zhao

Beijing-born, Brooklyn-based graphic designer and art director Zitong Zhao – who also goes by Tong – has been in many places and done many things. She’s worked in design studios such as Dazzle, Gretel, Meat, &Walsh and Koto, in advertising agencies such as Wieden+Kennedy, and in-house at brands like Nike, Microsoft and Apple. She’s picked up nuggets of knowledge from each place she’s been, and now, all of these experiences flow into her independent practice.

Mockups

“I’ve learned that every idea I have has potential – it just needs to be explored in a hundred different ways.”

Manas Trivedi
13th March 2025

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