Declan James | E-commerce Branding — Young & Co | Top Boutique Creative Branding Agency Los Angeles

What we did

Brand Strategy Messaging Visual Identity
Product Packaging
Campaign Imagery
Website Design & Copy

Declan James is a Denver-based watch company on a mission to continue the heritage of watchmaking and create a legacy of unique timeless pieces for generations to come.

Challenge

Brian Dougherty, a Navy Seal and entrepreneur, came to us with a compelling mission. He wanted to create a watch brand that stood for service and heritage, with quality time pieces that were also affordable for the everyday man. The kind of company that would create a legacy he and his family would be proud of and represented the pride and passion he had towards watchmaking. Brian had already worked with a designer on a logo mockup, but the experience (and the outcome) fell short of the dynamic energy he wanted to communicate with his brand and the subtle, personal homage to his service in the Navy.

Opportunity

In an overly saturated market, the only way to create a sticky brand is with a compelling story. The quality of the product and the deep, meaningful background of the founder proved a winning combination in positioning the brand as not only a more affordable luxury, but an opportunity to honor tradition and heritage in the very act of buying/giving one of their watches.

Solution

We took Brian through our strategic branding process, and crafted key copy for the brand (mission, vision, core values) as well as the brand archetype, and key customer persona into a compelling brand concept. We penned a heartfelt tagline that the company still uses to this day: Time Honored Tradition. Utilizing a color palette and typography selection, the visual brand identity balanced tradition with modern style and just the right amount of luxury appeal - with a logo that was both a subtle nod to the founder’s time in the Navy and the initials of the brand. Our team produced a campaign shoot to create high quality imagery for the website, and a lifestyle shoot for content across marketing collateral. Rounding out the customer experience, we also designed the product packaging and a clean, modern e-commerce site focused on driving emotional connection through imagery and value-forward messaging.

Results

The brand experienced a successful launch that jumpstarted traffic, sales, and brand awareness for the business. But the game-changing impact the founder shared with us went beyond quantifiable results. This brand helped him to put his best foot forward with the inspiration, and confidence in himself and his business, he needed to launch. Brian not only gained respect on the importance of branding, but in knowing (to this day) that he has a lifelong brand partner he can consult whenever needed.