Kumu
Where Authentic Connections Happen
Kumu Inc.
Timeline: 2021 - Ongoing
Client: Kumu Inc.
Industry: Startup & Technology
Funding Stage: Series C, 100+m USD
Location: Manila, Philippines
Project
Kumu’s mission is to empower and champion the digital creativity of all Filipinos, wherever they are, through Kumu’s mobile app and web platform. The project goal was to create an authentic, positive space for everyone. We love this big, bold, and ambitious goal, because we love the idea of helping to reconnect Filipinos all over the world back to their motherland through technology and creativity.
- "We are super grateful for you man. It was an absolute pleasure trusting Gohan with the heart and soul of our brand.
Thank you Yohji Alexander Kanki and Jason Hutcheson for your professionalism, time, and care. Rexy Josh Dorado, Victoria Herrera, Alex Tshering, and the rest of the team can attest how your workshops, expertise, and creativity have had a huge beneficial impact for the team. You have helped us build a foundation that is super aligned with our current growth, and will help us get to the next level of our journey."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Take care, and much love always!
-roland ros / Founder @Kumu
Summary
After more than 10 million downloads and successful series B funding, kumu’s founder Mr. Roland Ros, realized the kumu brand has reached new heights and contacted Gohan to help compete with industry titans like, TikTok, FB Live, and Instagram. kumu already has the right product and a huge fanbase, but rapid growth tactics that served the company well so far, were ill-suited to creating an international brand. Gohan helped kumu develop a comprehensive brand strategy, identifying key points of misalignment, a clear roadmap, a consistent vision and purpose for the whole kumu team, and created brand guidelines that include all subsidiaries and contributors. The result is an aligned look and feel across the Kumuniverse, with the right tools and guidance to ensure brand recognition and enable continued rapid growth.
Services Provided
- Market Research
- Strategy Workshops
- Logo & Identity Design
- Brand Strategy
- Brand Guidelines
- Team Training Sessions
- Design Strategy
- Brand Architecture
Challenge
In first rounds of digital workshops, we identified more than 26 subsidiaries, campaigns, shows and product, all directly originating from the Kumu brand. With this level of sub-branding, fixing the brand architecture would take several years, so we determined the best course of action was that to start fresh, creating an entire new look and impression for the kumu brand.
Research
By analyzing data from the past four years and conducting group research sessions, we identified the core values that inspired people and attracted millions of users. In this stage, we compiled hundreds of varying responses, a key first step toward creating a flexible, modern, and simple identity featuring over 300 designs focused on easy implementation into app, marketing, web and branding efforts.
Solution
With subscribers and content increasing more than ten-fold in the past few years, we ensured that the kumu vision and mindset were crystal clear to all key employees. After several enthusiastic sessions, we created a summary brand strategy report and new visual guidelines allowing flexibility for designers of all content, while enabling improved productivity and consistency. To further adherence to the guidelines, we held the largest design implementation course in Gohan’s history, introducing and teaching efficient use of the new visual identity to over 100 members of kumu’s design team.
Outcome
Gohan has received various reports from nearly all departments that the time saved on hiring, onboarding, client communication and design processes has already made the partnership with Gohan well worth the cost. If you visit kumu’s Instagram today, it is easy to see when the kumu team implemented the new core branding elements, such as the kumu-blue and the rainbow color bar, and make a case for yourself to see the benefits of consistency and identity design.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ For the past few months, we’ve been in zoom rooms and digital boards with Gohan Strategy 🙌 Which has not only been fruitful in revisiting why we do things, but also how it’s communicated. #intentional
Thanks for helping us with our next level of growth. Our team is grateful.
- Victoria Herrera / Marketing @Kumu
We at Gohan have built many brands over the past five years ...
and we often hear “We want to be authentic” from our clients. That said, when people fail to act with true authenticity, it will never reflect in your brand. Well, Kumu is different. We felt the authenticity in the first five minutes of our initial discussion, and have to say that kumu is a truly authentic brand with a humane goal and vision.
Thank you to the entire kumu team for allowing us be a part of your journey!
#WhereAuthenticConnectionsHappen #Kumu
Kumu Links:
Sama All!
