Loof Rebranding 2020
Branding & Conceptualistation | The Lo & Behold Group, Loof
[NOTE: This project has been put on hold due to Covid-19 & the following is a documentation of the research & initial stage of design development]
Derived from the Singlish pronunciation of roof, Loof was Singapore’s first standalone urban garden rooftop bar when it first opened in 2005. Epitomising and celebrating the local culture and all things Singaporean, Loof serves up quality whimsy, fresh nostalgia and unbridled playfulness atop Odeon Towers in downtown CBD.
Alongside Loof’s 15th anniversary in 2020, a refresh was suggested to realign and better iterate the core values and visions of the brand. While Loof had been innovative and novel as the first standalone rooftop bar back in 2005, the scene has saturated over the years in both areas of concept and location, so what can we do to keep the brand fresh and relevant in newer times?
The main objective of the refresh is to bring our edginess back into the scene, with a modern spin to be relevant and also reflect on keeping the harmony of existing collaterals. We aim to update the brand with visuals that accurately embody our brand voices, to be irreverent, to represent Singapore culture with a bit of nostalgia, and also foster friendships.
It was also important to be mindful of the current space and audience in order for the branding to be cohesive and effective, so we drew ideas from current reviews from our regulars with keywords such as cosy, warm, lively as a guide to anchoring the main design direction.
We’ve decided to develop the new branding along building camaraderie and the phrase ‘birds of the same feather flock together’, with the main inspiration being the existing pigeon mascot.
Pigeons are found all around Singapore, known to fly about freely with no restraint, and are usually found in packs gathering around areas with food.
We wanted to use this spirit of freedom and community as a unique way to represent the bonds with our friends and significant others, with Loof being a safe space in the stuffy CBD to wind down and be carefree after a long day of work or to hang out during the weekends.
Colours
The colour palette chosen compliments these traits, with a royal purple to represent a lush night, a pop of bright coral for energy and vibrancy, and lastly a warm neutral beige to tie them together.
Language
The playfulness and irreverence also comes through the tone of voice, keeping the language light and casual, often citing common Singaporean phrases like ‘Don’t worry, be happy’ & ‘Happy like bird’.
Further exploration also includes keeping the bird nuances amongst captions and phrases for harmony, using relevant bird terms such as wing, birdbrain, feathers etc.
Graphics