Majestic Mane: Shaping Dapper Yankee’s Brand Identity
Services Rendered
- Logo Design
- Brand Identity
- Positioning Strategy
- Icon Design
- Package Design
Deliverables
- Final Source Files
- Brand Style Guide
Dapper Yankee offers a premium line of men’s personal care products made in the USA, from natural ingredients with masculine scents.
The initial offering includes soaps, beard oils, and beard balms; with more products released next year. The products are primarily sold online through their website.
”This review might sound a bit repetitive compared to the other positive reviews, but it is what it is. Mash and his crew at Spellbrand are fantastic at what they do! My branding looks amazing and I couldn't be happier!
My store launches next week and I've already had tons of compliments on my logo from potential customers. However, Spellbrand created more than just a logo for me, they created a true brand identity that conveys a feeling to my customers with something they can relate to.
I can't thank Mash and his team enough for creating something truly unique, inspiring, and exciting. I'm very proud of my branding. Thank you again!
Christian NoceraDapper Yankee
Dapper Yankee is a paragon of modern masculinity, crafting a narrative that transcends mere grooming products to embody a lifestyle of elegance, strength, and refinement. This case study delves into the brand’s journey with Spellbrand at the helm, forging a visual and strategic identity that resonates with the urbane man.
To bring home the essence of the brand and to stay away from the cliche imagery of a bearded man, the talented design team at Spellbrand came up with the idea of a lion mascot. The logo design is made up of a line art icon of a lion face with a majestic mane and sunglasses. This conveys the attitude and message of the brand.
The full logo design is an emblematic design with a touch of vintage elegance and design elements to hint at the glory days of men’s grooming. The typography of the name – Dapper Yankee, was hand-created for this brand. The design also shows the words “Made in the USA”.
Brand Strategy for Dapper Yankee:
- Target Audience Synthesis: Aimed at the contemporary, discerning gentleman, Dapper Yankee’s products cater to those who value tradition infused with a modern twist. We identified a demographic that prides itself on sophistication and an impeccable grooming routine, which guided our branding approach.
- Unique Brand Positioning: Dapper Yankee is not just another men’s grooming line; it’s a return to grandeur. The brand is positioned to evoke the nostalgia of classic men’s grooming while embracing modernity’s convenience and consciousness.
- Core Brand Messaging: “Refined Grit.” Dapper Yankee speaks to the man who navigates the urban jungle with the heart of a lion—confident, composed, and with a touch of rebellion. Every communication underlines this narrative, turning everyday grooming into a rite of passage.
- Logo and Visual Identity:
- Primary Logo: The majestic lion, crowned with a mane and donning sunglasses, is a visual pun that plays on the concept of ‘mane’ and ‘main’, positioning the customer as the central hero in Dapper Yankee’s story.
- Secondary Logo: The DY emblem with a bow tie nods to classic male elegance and doubles as a stamp of sophistication.
- Typography: Custom-designed, the font for Dapper Yankee combines traditional boldness with sleek modernity—much like the products themselves.
- Packaging Design: The package is a canvas where vintage meets vogue. The brand pattern incorporates the lion icon and other vintage design elements, creating an experience before the product is used. The packaging’s tactile sensation is as important as its visual appeal, conveying luxury and care.
- Iconography: The lion motif is leveraged across various brand assets, reinforcing the brand’s persona. The secondary icon, a blend of the initials D and Y, is a sophisticated monogram that adds a personal touch across touchpoints.
- Brand Experience and Extension:
- Launch with foundational products, ensuring each carries the brand’s story and values. Plan to expand into a full-fledged lifestyle brand, with every new product introduction acting as a new chapter in the Dapper Yankee saga.
- Create brand experiences beyond the product—grooming tips, lifestyle blogs, and collaborations with artisans and craftsmen that echo the brand’s ethos.
- Digital Strategy and Engagement:
- Craft an online presence that’s as polished as the brand’s clientele. Use storytelling to take customers on a journey through the history of men’s grooming, backed by rich content and interactive elements.
- Leverage social media to create a community of ‘Dapper Men’, encouraging user-generated content that showcases personal style and grooming rituals.
We also created a beautiful brand pattern that can be used effectively on the packaging of the soaps, oils, and more. The pattern is made up of the main lion icon, a secondary icon that we crafted for this client, and some design elements taken from the primary logo design.
Above you can see how we created custom logo icons for special campaigns, holiday events such as Halloween and more. We crafted subtle but powerful references to the special occasions while still keeping the overall identity consistent and beautiful!
Dapper Yankee, with its lion-hearted essence and dashing demeanor, is more than a brand—it’s a beacon for the modern man who holds his grooming to a gold standard. Spellbrand has meticulously sculpted its identity to ensure that Dapper Yankee doesn’t just occupy a space in the market—it commands it. With a visual identity that roars and a strategic foundation that stands rock-solid, Dapper Yankee is set to define the new era of men’s grooming.
We crafted a stunning-looking secondary icon for the Dapper Yankee that is made up of the letters D and Y, which were created by hand along with a mini emblematic enclosure and a bow tie at the bottom. The result is a secondary mark that is unique and still retains the visual language of the primary brand mark.