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Welcome, Stranger.


We’re a Hawaii-based brand identity studio creating engaging design and strategy for companies that want more.

 

We’re a nimble, dedicated and experienced team with a focus on emotionally-driven design. We’re lean and mean with Hawaiian and Montanan roots because different perspectives create unexpected results. We believe you’re more than a client – you’re a partner – and that great work comes from great collaborations on projects that challenge and inspire us. Let’s create strategic and impactful solutions for problems big and small together.

 

Who We Are —

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Scott Naauao

PARTNER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Scott is a Hawaiian award-winning graphic designer and art director building compelling brands and effective design solutions since 2006. He has worked with local, national, and international clients crafting unique and thoughtful design solutions that resonate with both clients and their audience. He was born and raised in Kaneohe, Hawaii.

Instagram | LinkedIn

 
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Jesse Arneson

PARTNER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jesse is a multi-disciplinary designer and art director building partnerships with national and international clients at studios in Seattle, Albuquerque and Honolulu since 2000. With a devotion to creating timeless and compelling brand experiences for corporations, institutions and non-profits, his work ranges from award-winning identity design and packaging to art direction, advertising and brand strategy.

Instagram | LinkedIn

 
 

What We Do —

 

Branding &
Visual Identity

The brand systems we create convey a strategic vision, thorough research, and an informed approach to color, typography, and symbol across a range of media applications. Our goal is to illuminate and impact, capturing the many experiences that surround a brand.

 
 

BRAND AUDIT & RESEARCH

BRAND STRATEGY

BRAND POSITIONING

BRAND & PRODUCT NAMING

VISUAL IDENTITY

CREATIVE CONSULTING

BRAND GUIDELINES

BRAND VOICE & MESSAGING

TAGLINES & COPYWRITING

ART DIRECTION

Graphic Design &
Communication

Good design begins at thoughtful creative and ends with customer impression. We consider every facet of the process and pay strict attention to detail. This allows us to create collateral that delivers concise, strategic messages tailored to specific delivery channels.

 
 

PACKAGING DESIGN

PRINT COLLATERAL

EDITORIAL DESIGN

PRINT & WEB CAMPAIGNS

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS

WEB & DIGITAL DESIGN

PHOTOGRAPHY

MOTION GRAPHICS

ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS

SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING

ILLUSTRATION

CUSTOM LETTERING


Who We Work With —

 

FOOD & DRINK

Foodland / SFOC
Hana Koa Brewing Co.
Handcrafted Restaurants
Hau Tree
Hawaiian Host
Hawaiian Springs
KOHO
Kona Coffee Purveyors
Merriman’s
Moku Kitchen
Monkeypod Kitchen
Montana Ale Works (MT)
Montana Mex (MT)
Ono Food Co. (CA)
Rumor Brewing Co. (NM)
Sensei Farms
Summer Club
Taya Coffee
The Beach House
Waicoco

RETAIL

Ho‘omau Market
MahinaMade
Native Books
Noa Botanicals
Patagonia
OluKai
United Islands

DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE

Averylily
G70
Next Design
The Vanguard Theory
Verde Sustainability
Whitespace Architects
WORKSHOP-HI

CIVIC & PUBLIC

HGEA
Hawaii DOE

HOSPITALITY

Aqua-Aston Hospitality
Highgate
Hotel Wailea
Kaimana Beach Hotel
Nomadic Hotel (Costa Rica)
Pacific 19
Royal Lahaina
Surfjack & Swim Club
Wayfinder Waikīkī
Westin Ka‘anapali
White Sands Hotel

REAL ESTATE

Black Sand Capital
Dovetail + Co.
MacNaughton
Nine Brains
Kamehameha Schools
Kapolei Commons

BANKING & FINANCE

American Savings Bank
First Hawaiian Bank
Liquidnet (NY)

NON-PROFIT

Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
Donkey Mill Art Center
Hawai‘i Potters Guild
Hawai‘i Contemporary
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre
Hibiscus Asia + Pacific Forum
Kawānanakoa Foundation
Ke Ola Mamo
Museum of Fine Arts (Boston)
Pālehua
Papahana Kuaola
Papahanaumokuakea Marine Debris Project (PMDP)
RiseHI
World Wide Walls

Technology

Meta

Transport

Hawaiian Airlines


What We Believe —

 

With you. Not for you.

We’re not just a service provider. Our clients are partners, collaborators, colleagues, and often friends. We proudly work alongside your team to harmoniously further your goals and create stunning work we can all be proud of. We’re not afraid to defend our choices if we feel passionate about our ideas, but we also value the importance of listening.

Strong brands are built on a truth.

We do not tell “fake” stories, overpromise, or sell B.S. Through conversation, diligent discovery and a deep dive into all our clients, we aim to uncover the authentic “why” of every project. We’ll then share that truth with your customers through compelling messaging and memorable visuals. These truths are how brands connect to customers and empower them to thrive in competitive markets.

Small by design.

We are nimble, responsive and proactive, just like your company needs to be. The team you start the project with is the team that does the work, answers your emails, strategizes and invoices. We keep things lean and efficient by seeing every project through the entire process. We collaborate with the best writers, artists, illustrators, photographers, influencers and filmmakers to express your brand in a way that is perfectly tailored to you.

 

We do not design logos.

Actually, we do. However, successful brands are more than a logo. They’re an energy, a perspective, a story with many layers. A brand is how people think about your company, and we help uncover what your unique voice is. This voice is critical to creating engaging moments of connection that cut through the clutter. We thoughtfully position your brand, develop a powerful visual story and ignite your message across all mediums.

Beauty, brains and brawn.

We design thoughtful, strategic and striking brands with impact. We delight in the unexpected, the subtlety of details, perfect imperfections and a really great typeface. We believe in beautiful executions with purpose and honesty. Our goal is to create brands that represent and inspire their customers.

Better means doing things different.

Creativity requires courage. We do not believe in a signature style, a ready-made solution or the perfect answer to every question. We strive to learn, grow and appreciate that the details are what make things interesting. Brands that stand out do not conform. They rebel against the status quo. We push ourselves to explore these edges where insight and imagination collide.


Recognition —

National ADDY Silver Award (2022)

AAF District 13 ADDY Best in Show (Peles) 2022

AAF District 13 ADDY Gold Awards (Peles) 2020, 2022

AAF District 13 ADDY Silver Awards (Peles) 2020, 2022

AAF District 13 ADDY Bronze Awards (Peles) 2020, 2022

Full List


Published —

Brand New Brand published by Gestalten

Art Marks published by Counter-Print

Alphabet Logo: Trademarks & Symbols published by Counter-Print

Modern Heraldry: Seals, Stamps, Crests & Shields published by Counter-Print

Nature Logo: Trademarks & Symbols published by Counter-Print