REIJI: Brand identity and strategy (Branding)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

REIJI is an emerging brand focused on the automotive market, specifically on the car-lovers niche in Peru. With the aim of positioning itself as a leader in the tuning and vehicle accessories market, a comprehensive branding and brand strategy process was carried out.

CLIENT

REIJI

SECTOR

Automotive – Vehicle accessories and tuning.

THE CHALLENGE

The main challenge was to create a strong and coherent brand identity that reflected REIJI’s essence and values, while also resonating with its target audience.

WORK ROLE

Branding Specialist, Brand Strategist, Graphic Designer.

FUNCTIONS

Market research
Brand positioning
Naming process
logo design
Brand identity and guidelines

Branding and Strategy for REIJI

The project for REIJI was a comprehensive branding and brand strategy process aimed at establishing a strong and coherent identity for an emerging brand in the Peruvian automotive market. The main objective was to position REIJI as a leader in the car-lovers niche, specifically in the vehicle tuning and accessories market.

Investigating the world of Peruvian Car Tuning

REIJI seeks to sell vehicle accessories with the aim of improving the visual performance of vehicles. The brand aims to meet the demand of those individuals who want their vehicle to look more aesthetically pleasing and attractive, both to impress others and to satisfy their own taste.

Description of the Need

People look to purchase accessories for their vehicle in order to enhance its visual appearance and make a positive impression on others and themselves.

Products Offered

REIJI offers vehicle accessories, both interior and exterior. Some of these accessories include exhaust pipes, vehicle paint, LED lights, custom shift knobs, custom handlebars, car spoilers, and branded emblems.

Unique Value for Customers

Customers who purchase REIJI products are buying status. That is, they seek to elevate their social or personal status through the aesthetic improvement of their vehicles.

Target Group Summary

REIJI's target audience is men between the ages of 25 and 34 who want to buy accessories for their vehicles to gain status and improve their appearance. They have an average salary of 2,500 soles and are willing to spend at least 300 soles per month on accessories to tune up their vehicle. These individuals usually shop in the morning on weekends and prefer to pay by card. Their interests include cars, racing, drifting, vehicle accessories, speed, tuning and performance.

Research

Market Research

The automotive market in Peru was investigated with the aim of finding opportunities and threats for the brand. It was identified that the automotive market in Peru has an annual growth of 6.5%. The importance of social networks and digital marketing to reach the target audience was highlighted.

SEO Research

In order to determine the most appropriate approach to the brand digitally, a keyword research was carried out with an excellent level of searches and low competitiveness. Around +2500 Keywords related to Car Tuning and accessories for vehicles were collected. According to WooRank. (n.d.). “Keyword research is the process of finding the words and phrases that people use when searching for information and content online that is relevant to a website and business.

In this particular case, SEO research was used to:
• Identify the brand's direct and indirect competition
• Understand the type of traffic that reaches the brand's competitors' website and its characteristics
• Understand the origin of the traffic that the brand's competitors' website receives
• Analyze which keywords competitors have positioned
• Identify which keywords they are investing money in.

In addition to keyword research, the use of multiple SEO analysis tools is also highlighted in order to compare the traffic of competing websites and how the brand can overcome it through more effective marketing strategies.

Advertising research

Advertising research was conducted to determine what types of advertising the competition uses to attract the target group. This allowed us to identify which advertising media were most suitable for the brand to develop. Around 27 active advertisements from the brand's direct competitors on Facebook were collected.

Netnography

A netnography was carried out to gain a deeper understanding of the audience that REIJI wanted to attract. According to Casas-Romeo, A. (n.d.), “Netnography is a qualitative research methodology that adapts ethnographic research techniques to the study of emerging cultures and communities through computer-mediated communication.” A selection of virtual communities was taken into account, including: Mapisa Tuning opinion profiles, CarBrothers opinion profiles, and Ja Wheels opinion profiles, to obtain a total sample of 50 users.

In this particular case, Netnography was used to:
• Understand the characteristics of users who love vehicle accessories
• Gain insights into the behavior of users who love online vehicle accessories
• Discover the interests of users who love online vehicle accessories

Discoveries

Average Age: 32 years old.

Gender: Mostly men (88%).

2. Interests of the G.O: Publications about racing and tuning. Reflections on life.

3. Where to find the G.O in Peru: Events organized by communities such as Racing Class, piqueslegales.com, Prodrift Peru, and NOCHE DE PIQUES ILEGALES PERÚ.

Recommended Social Media Platforms:

Main: Facebook (used by competitors for promotions and advertisements).
Potential: TikTok (for video marketing).

Facebook Audience Distribution:

Mapisa Tuning: 90% of the market share.
Ja Wheels: 9% del marketshare.
Más accesorios Perú: 1% of market share.
Others: They are divided into the remaining 1%.

Findings:

Opportunity for REIJI to stand out as the main alternative to Mapisa Tuning in Peru.
Potential to specialize in a smaller product portfolio, similar to JA WHEELS.
Video marketing is the most commonly used type of content to drive traffic to WhatsApp.

Recommended Marketing and Sales Channels:

Promoción: Facebook Ads.
Content Marketing: Video marketing on TikTok and Facebook.
Direct Sales: Car Meetings and WhatsApp Business.
Recommended: SEO and keyword optimized website.

Comments on the Competition (Mapisa Tuning):

Negative reviews due to scandals where employees used vehicles without authorization.
Opportunity for REIJI to differentiate itself by offering guarantees and promises of security and trust to the client.

Target Audience Profile:

Men between 27-35 years old.
Average salary of 2,500 soles.
Minimum budget of 300 soles for tuning.
Interested in racing, tuning, drifting, vehicle accessories, speed and performance.
They shop mainly in the morning, during weekends at the end of the month, and prefer to pay by card.

Brand Positioning

Brand positioning is an essential aspect of branding strategy, as it determines how a brand wants to be perceived in the minds of consumers in relation to its competitors. For REIJI, brand positioning was addressed by identifying the latent need in the Peruvian market for vehicle accessories, presenting a profitable business opportunity. The brand aspired to successfully launch a new attractive brand targeting the “vehicle accessories or Car Tuning” market. The desire to “position itself as the leading brand for Car-lovers in Peru (Car tuning/Tuneo)” was established.

Positioning statement

Creative Process

Initial Brief: Essential information was gathered about the brand, its goals and expectations.
Market Research: A detailed analysis of the automotive market in Peru was carried out to identify opportunities and threats.
Brand Positioning: Se definió cómo REIJI se diferenciaría y se posicionaría en el mercado.
Naming: A process of name proposal and refinement was undertaken, culminating in the selection of “REIJI.”
Logo Design: A logo was developed that reflected the essence and values of REIJI.
BrandBoard: The brand's visual identity was consolidated, defining colors, logos and other key identity elements.

Identity proposals

Logo concepts were presented that convey swiftness, masculinity and youth. The final logo includes the kanji 車 “Kuruma” meaning “Car” or “Vehicle” and the letters “REIJI” at a 15° angle.

Brand identity

The BrandBoard is an essential tool in branding that defines and consolidates a brand’s visual identity. For REIJI, an emerging brand in the Peruvian automotive market, it was crucial to establish a strong and coherent identity that resonated with its target audience.

Color palette

A palette was chosen that includes White, Turquoise, Black, Red and Pink. These colours not only reflect modernity and youth, but also evoke sensations of speed and passion, essential for the automotive and tuning niche.

Main logotype

The decision was made to incorporate the kanji 車 “Kuruma” together with the name “REIJI” tilted at 15° degrees. The kanji provides a distinctive and authentic touch, while the tilt conveys dynamism and movement, in line with the automotive world. On the other hand, to ensure versatility in different applications where a cleaner design is necessary, a second, more simplified and direct version was designed.

Typeface family

Champion Gothic is a condensed sans-serif typeface family that evokes a feeling of robustness and strength. Its compact and bold design is reminiscent of 19th-century wooden type, giving it a vintage feel but with a contemporary feel. This typeface family offers a wide variety of weights, from light to heavy, allowing for great flexibility in design hierarchy and emphasis. Despite being condensed, Champion Gothic maintains excellent legibility, even at small sizes, which is essential for both print and digital applications. For a brand like REIJI, which focuses on the automotive world and seeks to evoke feelings of speed, dynamism, and strength, Champion Gothic is a perfect choice. Its robustness and bold character reflect the passion and energy of the world of tuning and racing.

NanumGothic is a modern, clean sans-serif typeface family. Its clear, simple design conveys professionalism and modernity. NanumGothic is known for its excellent readability, making it ideal for long text and copy in both digital and print applications. Unlike Champion Gothic, which is bolder in character, NanumGothic offers a neutrality that balances the design, allowing other elements, such as colors or images, to stand out. Its streamlined design makes it suitable for a variety of applications, from headers to body text, and it complements bolder typefaces like Champion Gothic well. For a brand looking to convey trust, quality, and professionalism, NanumGothic is an excellent choice. Its clear, direct design communicates effectively with an audience that values clarity and precision.

The combination of Champion Gothic and NanumGothic offers a balance between boldness and clarity, between vintage and modernity. Together, these typefaces reflect the duality of the REIJI brand: the passion and energy of the automotive world, and at the same time, the professionalism and confidence that the brand seeks to convey to its customers.

Using Corporate Patterns

Patterns such as “Ladder”, “Kuruma Traffic” and others were developed. These patterns reinforce the visual identity and offer cohesion in different applications, from stationery to packaging and advertising.

Results

The result was a cohesive and attractive brand identity that reflects the essence of REIJI and resonates with its target audience, setting the stage for a successful launch in the Peruvian automotive market.