COOK IS A CLOTHING BRAND WITH MANY EARTH SHIFTING ASPIRATIONS FOR ITSELF AND ITS CUSTOMERS. This is a vision conceived by world traveler, product designer and highly motivated Brit, Adam Meek. His travels helped shape his view of the world, the people in it and the products he valued and used most. But, the real kicker is he also wanted to see his brand bring people together, be a voice for conservation and make it easier to explore our world. The challenge was how to consolidate that vision into a brand narrative that’s digestible.

BBB entered the equation to help solve that brand story and add a little design notes of its own here and there. Adam’s muse for his brand is Captain James Cook who was a daring explorer and scientist of his age. He circumvented the globe several times in the 1700s and his contributions (both positive and negative) to our understanding of different cultures, astronomy, biology and much more are immense. Our job was to take the inspirations of Cook the person, and the aspirations of COOK the brand and make them one. We did this by focusing on three specific brand goals. The first is “the product.” Without it the rest does not matter. The second is “to inspire exploration.” The superior quality of the products and no nonsense design make them ready for any situation or environment. The third is “community”. The people you meet on your travels really are the destination and are what make the world feel closer and more connected.

We worked with Adam to find the right visual mix and brand tone within the imagery created to represent the COOK brand. Capturing this mood in the visuals was key to setting a tone for the audience we wanted to reach. We also developed additional branded details such as the tag designs on all the shirts which invites the owner to cut away a motivational phrase and tuck it somewhere meaningful to be found and seen when needed. The cap includes a small tag which requires someone to be rather close to read. It poses the question: “Is friendship necessary for survival or a reason to survive?” An instant conversation starter for any one close enough to catch it perhaps on a train or in a pub off the beaten path. Where normally tags serve as pure function, we adapted these moments to bridge the gap between product and brand goals. This brings a humanity into the product making it more cherished and reached for. We also designed a series of patches dedicated to different moments of Captain Cook’s explorations. Each one will be a part of a different seasonal drop or product line. They each represent a different moment in Captain Cook’s story and why it matters today.

For the launch of the COOK brand the inaugural photoshoot was shot in Plymouth, UK where Captain Cook set sail on his maiden voyage to Tahiti to track the path of Venus across the sun in 1769. There could not be a more perfect setting of moody weather, daring coastline and pure historical significance to capture this brand’s introduction to society. COOK quickly becomes a product with global vision but is incredibly personal. We’re very excited to see where this brand goes but more excited to wear it on our next adventure!

Be sure to check out COOK here.

Photos by: Chris Boulton

Services Performed: Copywriting, Brand Identity, Art Direction