Client logo in a dark color on a dark background.

Introducing the New Aiwa

When it was time to reintroduce the Aiwa brand to the U.S. market, the internal marketing team enlisted ArtVersion’s expertise to craft brand identity standards that pay homage to the brand’s historically renowned mark. The challenge was to maintain the integrity of the old logo while introducing a new design language that would encapsulate both the legacy and future vision of the brand.

Their request went beyond developing a brand manual for the old/new logo mark and graphic design standards; it also included the creation of a website and a product manual catalog. The objective was to rejuvenate the Aiwa brand, ensuring that the new elements complemented the existing logo and upheld the brand’s storied legacy.

A street billboard design.

Project Disciplines

01
Research
02
Graphic Design
03
Marketing Collateral
04
Strategy
05
UX Design
06
Web Design
The client's logo in red on the side of a building

Approach and Execution

ArtVersion began by conducting an in-depth analysis of the Aiwa brand's history, its market impact, and the values it represented. This understanding was crucial to developing a design language that felt both authentic to Aiwa and relevant to today's consumer.

The team focused on creating a design language that would seamlessly integrate with the old logo while propelling the brand into the modern era. This included selecting contemporary colors, typography, and imagery that resonated with current trends yet felt consistent with the brand's heritage.

The client's logo appears on a box for a audio equipment company.

Corporate Identity

A new corporate identity was born from the combination of old assets that people remembered and liked, to a new, bolder message that was more relevant to the marketplace. This fresh approach to lifestyle images and graphics combined seamlessly with the brand promise that the Aiwa team believes in.

A detailed brand manual was developed for the old/new logo mark, outlining the usage guidelines, color palettes, typography, and graphic design standards. This manual became the cornerstone for all future branding efforts, ensuring consistency and coherence across all platforms and materials.

A person wearing over-the-head earphones.
We combine the features, sound quality and volume of a traditional stationary system with the convenience of a portable bluetooth speaker.
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Light typeface design.
Open Sans
Light
Regular typeface font.
Open Sans
Regular
The letter "A" in a red typeface.
Open Sans
Semi-Bold
The letter "A" in a red, extra bold font.
Open Sans
Bold

Typography

Leveraging the expertise of ArtVersion, the selection of Open Sans as the primary typeface for Aiwa's brand identity was a strategic move designed to embody the brand's sophistication and versatility. This font, known for its clean and modern aesthetics, aligned perfectly with Aiwa's commitment to delivering high-quality audio products, projecting professionalism and reliability. ArtVersion recognized that the sans-serif nature of Open Sans not only guaranteed legibility and clarity across all brand communications but also complemented Aiwa's sleek and contemporary image. ArtVersion echoed Aiwa's dedication to precision and innovation, drawing a parallel between the font's balanced proportions and elegant curves and the precision and clarity of sound characteristic of Aiwa's speakers.

Color Selections

Guided by ArtVersion's expertise, Aiwa's brand identity is accentuated with a specific shade of red, infusing vibrancy into the brand's visual communications. This deliberate color choice strengthened brand unity and ensured that Aiwa's materials stood out, mirroring the brand's dynamic and impactful presence.

Red
#EE3123
Black
#ffffff
Blue
#5E758E
A brand identity book and design language.
A business card front design.

Designing User Experience

The challenge was to preserve all of the elements that people used to like about Aiwa, while bringing a new innovative approach to their corporate presence and visual communications. At the same time, they were looking at launching a new product to complement this brand relaunch. These factors all contributed to how the design experience would take shape.

The website combined historical brand elements with modern design principles to create a user-friendly, engaging online presence. Similarly, the product manual catalog was purposefully designed to reflect the new brand identity, providing customers with an informative and visually appealing guide to Aiwa's offerings.

UI Screens

Web Design
A UX home page design.
Person playing with their child.
User experience screen for technology industry.
Technology industry testimonials page on website.
A desktop UX screen.
A UX screen with client testimonials.
A UX homepage screen.
A UX screen with people smiling.

Responsive Design

Mobile
Mobile screen of speakers industry.
A UX/UI screen featuring the Exos-9 speaker.
Mobile screen of speakers for sale.
A mobile UX/UI screen for an Exos-9 speaker.
Brand manual mockup in a design system.
Cover of quick start guide.
Brand manual guidelines in a design system.

The Results

The reintroduction of the Aiwa brand to the U.S. market heralded a rejuvenated brand identity that was warmly received, effectively bridging generations of consumers through a seamless blend of nostalgia and innovation. This revival was underpinned by the careful integration of the old logo with a new design language, significantly enhancing brand recognition by appealing to both loyal fans and attracting a fresh customer base. The comprehensive brand manual played a critical role in ensuring that Aiwa’s identity was consistently presented across all touchpoints.

Simultaneously, the launch of the new website became a pivotal platform for digital engagement, offering a seamless composition of brand history and product offerings for both engagement and conversion. The market’s positive reception to the respectful nod towards Aiwa’s past coupled with a forward-looking vision, captured the success of the brand’s reintroduction. The combined effect of these initiatives solidified Aiwa’s market presence with a strong, cohesive brand identity that honors its rich history while eagerly anticipating future innovations.