Abakada is a Chicago-based, Filipino-owned streetwear brand. During my time at Purdue University, I saw how popular this brand was among the Asian American community, and quickly fell in love with it as well. However, I noticed their brand tended towards minimalism, with inconsistencies in their social media presence. Through this rebrand, I hoped to create a brand the put Filipino culture at the forefront. Abakada's pieces are complex and exciting, and I aspired to emulate this within the branding. However, I still wanted to acknowledge the audience they wished to appeal to style-wise.
Through my rebrand, I put puso, or "heart," at the center. The Baybayin letter for "ba" looks similar to an upside-down heart. I incorporated it into the "k" in "ka" to truly center the brand around the heart that is put into the clothing designs. As the brand largely focuses on their online retail presence, I created a mailer package which incorporates the colors of the Filipino flag. The pattern spells "abakada" in the Baybayin alphabet.
Finally, I tackled their Instagram. Created triptychs with similar text on each cover slide creates more visual consistency across the page. Meanwhile, slides that may not match the rest of the theme are tucked neatly away behind these carefully designed covers. All of the content and information is still there in a more cohesive package.
Overall, I really enjoyed the challenge of rebranding one of my favorite companies, and incorporating my Filipino heritage in the process.
Brand:
Instagram Page Mockups:
Instagram Page Mockups:
