Developing the Strategy
The research phase dictated how I could differentiate my brand from others. I can advance that the most difficult part of this step was the decisions on the way of the development of the different strategies of a full business - brand, marketing and the business stategies. But I can't stretch enough how much helpful it was clarifying my mind and plan everything in between where I came from, where I'm at and to where I want to go to.
After an exaustive research about the top sharks in the market I found myself studying them even more intensively so that I can understand how I can be positioned.
Understanding the Users
Opting for a niche was probably the most challenging thing to do, because as a creative problem solver, there's nothing I would put aside (I have a "must know it all" type of disease).
However, this step helped me to focus on the culture I want to create behind Riwals.
Defining the Brand
Stepping away and look at it with fresh eyes was one of the most challenging things to be done during the whole project. Battles between the designer side and the artist side were fun but hard to manage. But it also made me look at life from a different stand point and helped me extract the key values and personality for the brand.
Naming? Aw, damn!
Naming is one of the most essential parts of the brand and so hard to find a cool name available as a domain. As you can tell, we can only conquer stuff if we have something to conquer. riwals reads rivals and originates in the yin & yang philosophy: opposites complete each other. A rival is all you need to get to your next level, even if you're it.
Positioning
As a differentiatior, I took advantage of the expereinces I had and the skillset I've built throughout the years.
I specialize in solving business problems and it usually needs logical and emotional knowledge to come up with the best possible solution.
Developing The Brand
Art and Design are two very distinct and opposite fields, but both forces need to co-exist to a balanced creation. They’re dependent of one another.
Inspired in the know concept of dualism, Yin & Yang: where two opposites that can only exist as a whole giving rise to each other..
I'm always linking things together, in a quest for finding new meanings and answers, a rival means nothing if there's no conquest.
The symbol has more than one hidden meaning, and I might reveal them all some day, but for now, I will reveal this one: my name is pedro diogo and the left side, p, represents the designer and the right side, d, the artist.
Colors
The colors were selected from the materials I use to draft my ideas out.
From the paper and graphite basics to the double pointed red & blue pencil, it was the beginning of everything.
Typography
Prime, adaptable and class. This energy is carried by the combination of the two sans-serif typefaces.
Visual Identity
Inspirated on the classic black and white aesthetics, the culture of the brand emphasizes the connection between opposites and with the origins of every creation.
Developing the website, different iterations of icons as well as adaptations of existing branded iconswere made and the result is a custom set of icons.
Experience
A digital place dedicated to the disclosure of my approach to the design of businesses also with a section where I can share my thoughts and lessons about my journey as creative entrepreneur.
From the website, a freebie is offered to those who seek a step-by-step plan about the approach needed to start the entrepreneur/solopreneur journey.
The website was designed to mirror the feeling of reading a traditional paper document, when the user is exposed to long texts and a clean screen with strong visuals when the information is led by the user needs.
