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Tower

Tower Records, a beloved vinyl record store, met its demise in 2006 primarily due to the rampant growth of online piracy and a failure to adapt its brand. While the mainstream appeal of vinyl records as a primary audio medium has been waning rapidly, the memory of Tower Records continues to evoke a strong sense of nostalgia among many.

Skills

Branding
Copywriting
Team Management
Layout Design
Advertising

Tools

Adobe InDesign
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Premiere Pro

Team

Quinnton Barringer — Project Manager, Copywriter
Brandon Lin — Team Strategist, Copywriter
Emily Ho — Graphic Designer, Advertisement Designer
Claire Nitchman — Photographer

Research

Our redesign journey satrted with a thorough evaluation of Tower Records' existing brand. It became evident that the current brand lacked a cohesive and distinct identity, with the exception of the recognizable red and yellow color scheme. Consequently, our objective was to construct an entirely new visual style, starting from scratch. We envisioned a brand new logo, a compelling voice, captivating photography, and a distinct style. The outcome was a potent and purposeful identity aligned with the newly-branded Tower's strong voice and intentional design.

Root for the underdog

Talk to people like they’re people

Don’t apologize for being different

Be inspired by the community

Our Approach

In our pursuit of creating the ultimate brand for Tower, we made a conscious shift away from materialistic record-selling methods, prioritizing what truly matters: people's music. While we retained the iconic Tower Records colors and slogan to preserve brand equity, we decided to drop the "Records" from the name. This strategic move empowers us to explore and expand into diverse markets while staying true to our heritage.

Visual Identity

We discovered our concept through a deep exploration of sound, its origins, and the way it was traditionally conveyed. Infusing this exploration with a sense of nostalgia and a sophisticated, modern typeface, we were captivated by a singular design that truly resonated with us.

The Branding Guidelines Book

The identity guidelines for Tower served as the cornerstone of this project. This meticulously crafted book succinctly defines what Tower represents, highlights the transformative changes, and eloquently explains the rationale behind our decisions. One hundred and ten pages of beautiful photography, dynamic typography, and eloquent words make up one hell of a brand reimagining, and perfectly captures the new direction for Tower.

Flip through on Issuu

We were born different. Independent from the beginning, we have a history of embracing the crazy and being the first of our kind.

Play your music, we’ll set the stage. Let’s make history, together.

You’re an indie folk band? You have a place here. You’re a classical quartet? Tower is your venue. You’re a Mongolian throat singer who sings duets with a ventriloquist doll? Whatever floats your boat, pal.