CASE STUDY - BRAND STRATEGY
Azaran Skincare
This project was completed in collaboration with I Like Storytelling.
CHALLENGE
A brand new Moroccan skincare startup was looking to launch its brand and first Argan Oil product in the Canadian market. However, the skincare market is extremely competitive, with market leaders like Josie Maran and The Ordinary dominating the Argan Oil space.
TASK
Develop a key brand message, positioning and brand name for this skincare startup that'll help it stand out from the crowd.
SOLUTION
Using my standard brand strategy process, I examined 3 aspects of the business: the market, the audience, and what the brand can offer. ​
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The Market: How are the competitors positioning themselves?​
The Audience: What is the audience looking for?​
The Brand: What can the brand offer?​
KEY BRAND MESSAGE & POSITIONING
The Raw Morroccan
Why It Works: Messaging fits in the sweet spot between Audience, Market, and Brand.
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Showcases a truly Moroccan, authentic brand that is unique in the market.
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Speaks to raw, carefully sourced, Moroccan sustainable materials.
COMMUNICATION PILLARS
Always Pure, Always Organic
Our ingredients are extracted directly by hand, from the argan nut.
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Nothing to Hide
We document the full, raw production process. We are an open book; what you see is what you get. We don't hide our raw ingredient list- it's easy to find and user friendly.
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Moroccan Born
We are Moroccan-owned. Products are handmade in Morocco, by Moroccans. Embody the Moroccan traditional and cultural practices of self-care, raw, natural beauty regimens.
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We Care for Our Home & Our Land
We support the people and land that create our products. We help the Moroccan economy with fair wages for women. Our products are sourced sustainably from our raw natural habitat.
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We're Moroccan Cultural Educators
We teach others what real Moroccan culture is (including cultural practices, design, regimens). We teach others the importance of choosing products made with raw ingredients.
LAUNCH
This was one of those rare situations in marketing where the key message works great as a name. However, the name needed more authenticity so we looked for words that conveyed 'raw' in the Tamazight language including its synonyms: pure, organic, natural etc. and we landed on the brand name: Azaran.
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​Through the brand identity guide we developed, we provided brand application examples on how we can bring the brand to life through its product design.
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The colour palette is inspired by Morocco's contrasting landscapes - the desert and lush green sprawling valleys.
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The design pattern is inspired by the traditional Zellig tile pattern and the arch from Moroccan architecture.
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The glass bottle is purposefully selected and designed so that the consumer can proudly showcase it as a decor piece (e.g. Aesop).
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It includes special messages inside the lids to educate users on Morocco's beauty rituals.
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