08.05.2019
Specialist antiques branding & website
behind the scenes | design |
BEHIND THE SCENES AT TONIK
Hispanic Antiques
Printed on G.F Smith paper by Asap Digital
As Tonik continues to evolve with ever-changing design trends we have come to realise that the projects we relish the most are those that solve modern problems and aren’t afraid to pioneer new ideas. Whether this comes in the form of challenging outdated conventions or simply entering a new space that no one has ventured before; we enjoy approaching design with a fresh perspective and mirroring the challenger-brand mindset that we see in so many of our clients. In recent times we’ve seen a lot more niche businesses start to pop up and offer something new and we embrace the challenges that these types of projects present. Recently, we’ve had the pleasure of helping a new antiques brand sell their curated collection of Hispano-Moresque items. Initially stemming from a hobby, this passion and enthusiasm that has lead to the accumulation of over 30 years of knowledge and experience in dealing with some of the finest antique pieces from the continent. Keen to transform this passion for sourcing unique items into a business, Richard entrusted Tonik with the Hispanic Antiques branding and website in hopes that this would propel him into the realms of recognition and custom further afield.
Antiques, by default, are incredibly diverse – the surprise element of what could potentially be coming your way almost mirrors that of the challenges faced by branding. And so a branding solution was needed that both accommodated and enhanced the breadth of the pieces featured. The Hispanic Antiques branding itself pairs warm tones of maroon with beautifully gilded details. These tones have been extended across the full business collateral suite, including custom G.F Smith string tied envelopes printed by Asap Digital, delicately adorned with caramel thread and a gold foiled master logo. People buy antiques for a number of reasons, whether it’s for investment purposes or simply because the piece resonates with them. Whatever the reasoning, the process behind presenting the customer with a treasured relic remains the same. Each piece undoubtedly has a unique story to tell and Richard wanted to make sure this was an integral part of the customer journey through the printed items. These same brand elements have also been delicately pulled though into a modern, functional website showcasing the versatile nature of the design.
The provision of such a unique niche provided us with some emblematic details to use as a starting point. From there we began to explore antiques of this particular period further and allowed this to trickle down into the subsidiary patterns, typography and colour palette development. This allowed the Hispanic Antiques branding to remain unique to reflect the distinctive cross-section of products offered.
For the website itself we approached this with a fresh, modern palette, using interactive transitional elements to encourage visitors to explore and learn more about the curated pieces listed by Richard. The site has also provided the perfect backdrop for not only accommodating a diverse collection of products but allowing Richard’s knowledge about the subject to truly shine through – especially through the blog functionality.
Diversifying the ways in which you sell your products is becoming increasingly more integral to ensuring your business’s success. With the potential for further reach and the ability to capture those customers that may have been unable to find you previously, having your own online shop – or e-commerce site – has never been more important. The next step is to make sure that the site is functional across all devices (through rigorous means-testing) and able to provide a positive user experience. In essence, the site needs to look good, work properly and leave a great impression on the customer to ensure their return.
At Tonik we think that brand and web go hand in hand – after all, web is an extension of the brand itself. We therefore like to design both brand and web simultaneously as this gives us full control in ensuring that the brand is rolled out to the highest possible standard. This also enables us to start thinking about how branding concepts could be rolled out onto web very early on in the process.
We have designed and built websites for many different clients, each with a unique product offering, but ultimately all approaching us with the basic need for a functional website that looks great, is easy to edit and just works. We have a number of E-commerce sites that are currently underdoing a final round of tests and checks before they officially launch, but for now here are a few projects from our archive: Dayan & Webb, Ponderlily, Forge Coffee Roasters & Bhendi Bazaar.
If you have been thinking about getting a website designed for your business for a while and just need help on getting started, please get in touch here.
Click here to visit the new Hispanic Antiques website.
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