An approach to branding honed through deep experience in the world of luxury
Based in London, SUM works with established and emerging luxury brands across the full brand lifecycle. Our role is often end-to-end, spanning strategy, naming, visual identity, creative direction, branded content and marketing. Alongside core brand development, we also design e-commerce platforms and packaging concepts, and define digital and social frameworks where they support the wider brand system. We’ve been creating these kinds of brand assets for internationally recognised names such as Jimmy Choo, AllSaints, Burberry, La Perla, and Victoria Beckham – as well as for boutique luxury brands carving out their own distinct space in the market. Beyond that foundation of brand strategy, our work covers a wide range of core branding deliverables.
Your brand’s visual identity can become a powerful asset, forming a major part of what makes it unique and appealing. A distinctive logo or motif, strapline, imagery, film, typography and language will make your brand immediately recognisable. SUM uses the power of visual and verbal branding to help luxury brands stand out in their category, making them relevant, memorable, and sought-after. At SUM, we’ll create your logo, colour palette, and layout. We’ll also set out guidelines for the use of imagery and film, tonality, typography, and writing style, enabling your in-house team and other partners to communicate your brand consistently and confidently at all touchpoints.
When creating a brand name, SUM adopts a long term view that involves an intention to future-proof. Our aim is to retain appeal and relevance for your brand name as the market landscape ebbs and flows during the decades to come. We achieve this by drawing inspiration not from trends but rather from authentic, enduring themes within your company and your brand. These could be as diverse as the brand’s geographic location, its owners’ identity or character, its overall approach to product formulation, the way its ingredients are sourced, or from a unique insight about its target audience. SUM creates aspirational brand names that have also been developed with the legal trademark process in mind, as well as the need for cut-through in the highly competitive worlds of luxury.
SUM views packaging design as a valuable opportunity to make an impact across all aspects of the brand’s communications. For example, we use digital tools to help develop a process of storytelling. This means that instead of your packaging simply having a static, on-the-shelf role, it can become part of your brand’s narrative, and we use technology to enhance the communication of this story. The circular economy is quickly becoming a central part of the packaging story of many luxury and lifestyle brands, and SUM has deep experience developing sustainable packaging solutions for a variety of its clients.
Extending Mayfair’s most storied club into objects of desire through richly crafted, collectible packaging.
Translating India’s craft heritage into a contemporary, high-fashion narrative of maximalist elegance.
Creating certainty in travel through a members’ brand built on discretion, access and taste.