iO.
a new direction
iO. iNDEPENDENT OPTICIANS are a growing brand on the high street. They were excited to open their new shop but worried that their current design branding was not in line with the company’s new direction. Two weeks before their first shop was to open they approached me to talk over their concerns.
With little time to spare, a strategy was put into place reflecting their ideas and visual presence. iO. are very much committed to knowing their customer’s needs and giving long term support. The goal was to have this at the forefront of the design concept.
photography
All shops were to incorporate their staff into the store environment. It takes trust and experience to make people feel relaxed in front of the camera and give them confidence when shooting portraits. This is just as important as technical know-how.
I tapped into a photographic feel of Götti Switzerland spectacles -a brand they were promoting at launch- using flash photography instead of natural light. To ensure consistency, the style of the images was recreated with future staff members every time a new shop opened.
branding
The iO. brand has an air of sophistication with an edge. The imagery and marketing reflected this while giving the shop staff centre stage.
i wonder
who you are?
digital and online
Online presence for any brand is key. I created a new company website and assured online presence through social media.
street presence
Even before a shop opened, each shop manager was already the face of the store. This created a familiar feeling with new customers from day one.
a shop with a soul
Renaat De Maeyer the architect behind the store’s design blended the imagery beautiful against a natural backdrop of rich wood. We achieved an atmosphere in which the shop staff became the soul of the shop.
blend of
nature
and design