Design Process - Brand Identity
Making Man Up’s identity.
Building the Man Up brand meant crafting a visual identity that balanced strength, vulnerability, tradition, and progress. Every design choice—from typography and logo design to color palette and texture—was made to reflect the raw emotional honesty at the core of the campaign. The goal was to create a system that felt bold and grounded, yet flexible enough to explore different expressions of masculinity across packaging, animation, and installation work.
Creating the foundation for Man Up.
The Man Up campaign began during the concepting phase of my capstone project, which centered on the theme Common Ground: Perspectives on Freedom. I chose to explore masculinity through this lens, seeking to understand how freedom manifests across traditional and progressive interpretations of manhood. Early on, I developed a detailed Venn diagram comparing the values, symbols, and emotions tied to both traditional and progressive views of masculinity. This visual research tool helped me identify overlapping beliefs and tensions, sparking deeper investigation into how male identity is shaped, suppressed, or expressed. These insights became the foundation for the narratives, visuals, and messaging that define Man Up.
Creating the foundation for Man Up.
The Man Up brand was built using two typefaces: Fractul Variable and Neuzon. Fractul Variable, with its clean and versatile design, was used for small type and formed the basis of the bold Man Up logo. Neuzon, with its rugged, distressed character, appeared across major elements like cologne packaging, animation subtitles, and signage. Together, these typefaces balanced modern structure with raw expression, reinforcing the campaign’s blend of tradition and emotional authenticity.
Building the logo mark.
The Man Up logo was crafted using Fractul Variable, focusing on boldness and scalability. I customized the letterforms by merging them tightly together, creating a strong, unified shape. The word "up" was designed as a knockout element within the larger form, adding contrast and visual impact. This approach gave the logo a confident, powerful presence that remained clear and recognizable at any size.
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Graphic Design Senior Capstone Exhibition - Common Ground : Perspectives on Freedom
