Dawn Wall + Mohican Sun
Visual Identity | EP Artwork | Merch | Website | Marketing Content
6 minute read
Dawn Wall is a drum and bass act that shrouds their real identity in secrecy, adding an element of intrigue to their music. In this case study, we delve into the process of crafting their enigmatic image. Our goal was to create a bold and professional persona for them, blending elements of playful interaction to engage their audience. By infusing their identity with a distinctive style, we aimed to captivate listeners and leave a lasting impression.
A rising musical act, Dawn Wall appeared in 2015 cloaked in secrecy and intrigue. To maintain their mysterious presence, the artist (or artists) knew they needed a unique identity. Obviously, they rejected conventional artist photography. This began their journey to shape Dawn Wall's look. Their label (at the time) Integral Records, reached out and throughout 2016 we started to develop a carefully crafted visual persona.
We communicated through a cryptic network of anonymous messages and carefully examined Dawn Wall's target audience and core values. These values focused on the idea of camouflage, mystery, and the importance of a strong sense of community. Our aim was to design a visual identity that reflected these values. In particular we hoped to connect with Dawn Wall's loyal fans and enhance their experience, helping them feel appreciated and part of the tribe.
Multiple concepts were considered to represent Dawn Wall's mystery. One idea stood out: tribal masks. The producers were immediately drawn to this bold concept. We refined the tribal mask idea further and created a unique, hand-drawn mask to use as their identity. It became the core of Dawn Wall's image, symbolizing its mysterious appeal. We expanded the brand themes further into custom artwork for their record sleeves. This developed into us creating individual illustrations for each track released.
The team introduced a second character, Mohican Sun in 2016, which presented an exciting challenge. This addition required us to design a second mask. It needed to align with the style established for Dawn Wall's, but it also had to show distinct features that set it apart. This was achieved with colour and the introduction of unique geometric pattern elements to accompany both masks.
Moreover, we created a unique home for these characters. We established a record label named Ekho, which served as a hub for their music. To bring their story to life, we transformed it into a captivating fictional island where Dawn Wall and Mohican Sun resided. This unique setting added depth and richness to their adventures and experiences.
In addition to traditional branding elements, we ventured into the realm of video content to further engage Dawn Wall's audience. This was a new and exciting challenge for us, adding short format video editing to our skill set.
We crafted a series of promotional videos and teasers, each one enhancing the enigmatic allure of Dawn Wall and Mohican Sun. These videos were designed to be shared across social media platforms, capturing the essence of their music and visual identity. The dynamic content helped to build excitement around new releases, drawing in new followers while keeping existing fans intrigued and connected.
We crafted a series of promotional videos and teasers for each release. This was a new and exciting challenge for us, adding short format video editing to our skill set.
Each one enhancing the enigmatic allure of Dawn Wall and Mohican Sun. These videos were designed to be shared across social media platforms, capturing the essence of their music and visual identity. The dynamic content helped to build excitement around new releases, drawing in new followers while keeping existing fans intrigued and connected.
To further engage Dawn Wall's audience and enhance their sense of community, we expanded the identity into merchandise, and an artist's website. We aimed to use the merchandise to elevate the customer experience, making fans feel like integral parts of the project. The products, ranging from shirts to stickers, encapsulated Dawn Wall's mystery, allowing fans to engage with the brand tangibly.
The combination of the merchandise and website provided an additional income stream for the artist, with 1000+ sales to date. Some fans even getting tattoos of the masks, showcasing the identity's success.
Crafting Dawn Wall’s identity has been a creative, collaborative, and mysterious journey. It started as a simple logo and EP cover project, but has grown into a vibrant and comprehensive identity that we still contribute to today. With personality and a touch of humour, we have captured fans' hearts. The audience response has been fantastic, with some even getting tattoos of the masks and track artwork.
We are proud to have helped Dawn Wall and Mohican Sun bring their mysterious personas to life.
