Kikapu is a Swahili word that means basket. Not anything that can be explained outside the East African region but will mean different things across Africa. However, we would all recognize it. Do you know why? Growing up, parents and grandparents used them when going to the market. I reckon it looks exceptional seeing my generation carrying one to the market. The sense of pride and belonging is still part of the Kikapu.
The Kikapu carried a lot of bounties; we all knew there was something good.
The Kikapu studio carries that collective with us. A diverse skill set in design and problem solving enable Africa to solve its challenges with all the pride and bounty of the Kikapu.
I will take you through our brainstorming in creating this new brand. Welcome to our first case study as the clients and the creators of this brand. We started by researching this as part of a bigger picture that included the registration of Kipapu Studio Limited. Major inspiration from definitely the look and feel of an actual Kikapu. The culture, look and feel did not lead us astray.
First four iterations of the kikapu.studio logo
The toughest and the most satisfactory part of this project was the typeface that represented the icon to the fullest. We wanted a relationship between the two. Have you ever met this kind of annoying couple; when a partner is not with them it feels as if something is missing. You just envision them together. That is what we wanted to achieve in this relationship between the typeface and the symbol to be.
Monochrome, not really. In the research phase, we did not envision a monochrome logo. We saw a pop of color representing the colorful Africa we see.
However, in the end, the monochrome exhumed a lot of power that any color would not compete and complete the brand identity we desired. However, this does not mean that kikapu studio’s element of color will remain monochrome. We have a pool of incredible choices that will come to play.
Picking the final brand representation.
What we learned from being our own client, we have to be agile at all times. With that, the tie needed to be broken, and with the help of our dear friends and colleagues, we got to a good decision that had a great appeal to kikapu as a business, and a brand.
Hey all, Meet kikapu studio. We are a solution and social design studio that seeks to work with innovative and fast-moving organizations. We work together to design solutions for social impact and change through the African Lens.
From Africa to the world
I believe that if you tell a great story, people will share it, It will go round and eventually, told back to you.”
Kennedy Kioli
Co-Founder Kikapu Studio
Your journey does not start unless you take the first step. This is our first step towards greatness.
Jacky KImani
Co-Founder Kikapu Studio