Close Up
Kahunam Brand Case Study
How we made our own brand. An insight into our process and the history and the culture that inspired us.
Challenge
We needed something which communicated what we stand for, kept us feeling passionate and proud of our work. And also helped us stand out in the sea of other agencies out there.
This isn’t the work of a single person’s preferences or viewpoint. Rather, it’s a collaborative effort where we pool our ideas and seamlessly blend them into flawless execution.
Goals
Create a brand identity that tells our story and develop a style that represents our values.
The brand creation story
We don’t approach this haphazardly. Our process involves a series of well-defined steps: from initial brainstorming and sketching of ideas, through various iterations and revisions, to numerous feedback sessions via conference calls. All of this effort was simply to craft a Kahuna’s tale that’s truly noteworthy.
How did we come up with Kahunam’s look and feel?
Our journey to create Kahunam’s style started with understanding what “Kahuna” means. We had lots of talks with Scott and read about Kahuna’s cultural importance. This gave us the foundation for the brand. Every brand starts with a logo, which is like the face of the brand. It shows the founder’s vision and story. Our job was to turn those ideas into a logo. We brainstormed using key words and ideas to design the perfect logo.
How did we go from the first idea to the final brand?
Going from the first sketch to the final logo was a journey full of development and many ideas. A logo is like a person’s appearance—we naturally like things that look good. So, we spent a lot of time sketching different ideas inspired by the sea and other surroundings. Each idea was refined until we reached the final version that truly captures Kahunam’s spirit.
What challenges did we face and how did we overcome them?
One challenge was making sure the logo conveyed all the brand’s meanings while still being unique. To find inspiration, we looked at other logos and spent time by the sea, which helped clear our minds and spark creativity. This led to the final logo, which fully represents Kahunam’s message.
Why did we choose these colours and fonts?
Choosing the right colours was important. We picked blue to symbolise water—soft yet powerful, able to overcome any obstacle. Blue also stands for trust, origin, creativity, and stability, which are core values of Kahunam. Plus, blue is the colour of the Scottish flag, connecting to the founder’s heritage.
For the font, we wanted something that stood out and reflected the brand’s creativity. Inspired by water droplets, we designed letters that vary in size and width to represent water’s characteristics. We created two versions: the original font and “Kahunam Splash,” which looks like water droplets splashing.
How did we come up with Kahunam’s look and feel?
Our journey to create Kahunam’s style started with understanding what “Kahuna” means. We had lots of talks with Scott and read about Kahuna’s cultural importance. This gave us the foundation for the brand. Every brand starts with a logo, which is like the face of the brand. It shows the founder’s vision and story. Our job was to turn those ideas into a logo. We brainstormed using key words and ideas to design the perfect logo.
How did we go from the first idea to the final brand?
Going from the first sketch to the final logo was a journey full of development and many ideas. A logo is like a person’s appearance—we naturally like things that look good. So, we spent a lot of time sketching different ideas inspired by the sea and other surroundings. Each idea was refined until we reached the final version that truly captures Kahunam’s spirit.
What did feedback do for us?
Feedback from others helped ensure the founder’s vision for Kahunam was accurately reflected. Whether the suggestions improved the brand identity or not, we always focused on maintaining the brand’s core characteristics to ensure it stayed professional, aesthetic, and meaningful.
We are happy to release our brand officially
Creating Kahunam’s brand identity was quite a journey—it was all about getting inspired, being creative, and refining everything along the way. From the very first idea to the final rules we set, each step aimed to really capture what makes Kahunam special. And now? We’ve got a brand that really stands out and clicks with the people who see it.