When Traverse Fitness approached me, they were in the early phases of developing what would become a five-star ninja training center populated with both amateur and infamous professional ninjas. They had the initial funds to build and design the ideal facility on the outskirts of San Francisco in Concord California. An ideal location due to its proximity to suburban families and working professionals from throughout the Bay Area. Design failure was not an option.
The
Challenge:
The Traverse brand needed to blend the fitness world, ninja culture and appeal to both children and adults, moms and dads. This mean that type, color and form all needed to work together to meet and surpass expectations.
The
Solution:
Where else would you look for inspiration for ninja branding if than Japanese culture? That's exactly were I drew inspiration from with the coviat that I needed to find an innovative way to gently infuse that story into the artwork.
I found a solution within traditional homes in Japan. Their faceted design served as a foundation for the Traverse pattern, as well as the use of square shapes within the brands design.
I also incorporated movement into the brand's DNA by selecting a distinctive and easy-to-read bold italic font. And the mark not only represents forward movement, but it is also part of the letter V.
Together, the mark and logotype form a picture of a clever and active customer-centric brand. The logo is intriguing and exciting, eschewing the cliche ninja logos that crowd the competitive landscape.
