n8vboy Brand Identity
n8vboy is a dance music producer based in Yakima, WA. He focuses on moombahton and trap styled music, but is very experimental. Every producer needs memorable branding to accompany their music in order to build publicity and a loyal fan base. n8vboy lacked a sophisticated logo and website to represent his brand. To solve this problem, I created a branding kit, merchandise mockups, and a website with matching fonts, styles, and themes. A major focus of this project was to not only represent the music through the bright colors, but to also pay tribute to the client’s Native American heritage.
Brand Kit Design Process
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My client and I started the project with an initial meeting where we exchanged contact information and discussed the ideas he had for his brand.
After taking notes during the first meeting, I created a design brief that included all the information needed for the project, such as marketing objectives, a design plan and preferences, and a target audience. I also conducted research on my client’s competitors and ideation image research.
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To start the design process, I did three different types of thumbnail sketches: the first using the Principles of Typographic Contrast, the second using typotrix, and the third drawing words that are related to the client’s business and focus.
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During the logo ideation process, I focused on which typeface I wanted to use and experimented with type-only logos and image logos. First, I displayed my client’s business name in a variety of different typefaces. Once I decided which typefaces represented his brand the best, I combined them with the ideas I created during the thumbnail process.
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Following the critique process with my client, we decided on the arrowhead logo. Implementing color was the next step. My client wanted a pink and purple neon color palette.
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During a design review meeting with my client, we agreed upon the final logo design and color. I then designed a letterhead, envelope, and business card, along with a brand standards guide.
website Design Process
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The main purpose of the website was to promote n8vboy’s music and sell his merchandise. The website design process included a design brief, mind map, moodboard, competitor research, lo-fi and hi-fi prototypes, and final site development for both desktop and mobile.
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I conducted usability tests with 10 different participants. Participants were chosen based on age and music interest. They were asked to complete four tasks throughout the website and make comments out loud during the test.