Branding
Chosen for who you are, not for your price.
Branding gives customers a reason to choose your business. Through owner interviews and market research, we identify your strengths and develop a cohesive brand, from concept and naming to the logo, visual identity, and brand materials. Based in Kobe, we mainly serve Kansai and Kanto and also welcome inquiries from clients farther afield, whether you are starting a new business or refreshing an existing brand.
What branding is: creating reasons to be chosen
Being chosen takes both words and experience.
Branding is the work of putting a business’s strengths and values into words, then shaping the logo, shop, website, and more based on those words. Moving back and forth between words and form, we convey the reasons customers choose you.
- WordsPut your brand's character into wordsYour strengths, your values, the value no one else offers. We find the character that hasn’t yet been put into words, and express it in language anyone can understand.
- TouchpointsAlign every touchpointWith those words as the standard, we align the impression of everything customers encounter: logo, space, website, printed materials, even customer service.
- ResultReasons to be chosenGive customers a reason to choose you beyond price and other conditions.
From words that tell to experiences that resonate.
Design helps communicate what makes a brand appealing. It starts with a shared understanding of whom you want to reach, what you want to say, and how to say it. By examining your business's strengths and customer needs, we clarify the reasons to choose you and express them consistently across your shop, website, and printed materials. Branding also gives your team and creative partners clear criteria for making decisions.
Small shops and small businesses carry the owner’s convictions and the ingenuity built up through daily work. Through dialogue, we find that value and clarify what makes it appealing to customers. Then we translate it into words, design, and space, all the way through to the experience people actually have. That is branding at Rootfor.
What Rootfor’s branding does, and doesn’t do
Polishing appearances alone doesn’t give people a reason to choose you.
Every company approaches branding differently. Here is what matters to Rootfor, organized into what we don’t do and what we do.
| No. | What we don’t do | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Pinpoint your strengths and put them into wordsThrough interviews and research, we find strengths that haven’t yet been put into words. | |
| 02 | Give every decision a clear rationaleWe define design principles that explain choices such as color and help your team make consistent decisions. | |
| 03 | A cohesive identity, from shop to websiteA logo is only the beginning. We extend it to business cards, signage, the website, and the space, all by the same standard. | |
| 04 | Refine what’s real, and convey it as it isOnly what you can promise, made appealing. That’s what earns lasting trust. |
Three layers of a brand: words, form, touchpoints
Once the root is set, the branches don’t waver.
Rootfor thinks of a brand in three layers: words, form, and touchpoints. The more firmly the lower layers are set, the faster and steadier the decisions in the layers above.
- 01WordsWordsThe core of the business. Putting its philosophy, strengths, and character into words.Concept Naming Tagline Statement
- 02FormFormGiving the words a visible form.Logo Color Typography Photography Guidelines
- 03TouchpointsTouchpointsAligning everything customers actually encounter to the same standard.Storefront/space Website Social Print/cards Signage/packaging
We translate your business's strengths and values into a logo, colors, typography, and photographic style, then bring them together in visual identity (VI) guidelines that express your brand's character.
We then extend those standards to business cards, the website, shop interiors, and packaging, so the brand stays consistent even as the people in charge and the materials change.
Rootfor handles everything with one team, from building the core of your brand to shop and spatial design and web design. Connecting words, design, and the experiences people actually have, we shape your business so its appeal comes through.
How our branding works
Growing the brand beyond launch.
Understanding the business, putting its strengths into words, and turning them into design. From rollout to shops and websites to improvements after launch or opening, we support you through five stages.
- 01ResearchResearchThrough interviews with the owner and research on the site, competitors, and customers, we organize the strengths and challenges of the business. Where needed, we also hear from staff and customers, exploring the brand’s potential from both inside and outside perspectives.Main deliverablesInterview and research report
- 02ArticulateDefineWho will you deliver value to, and what value? Based on our research, we clarify the brand concept and the message to convey. Where needed, we also consider naming and taglines, and compile everything into words that can be shared within the company.Main deliverablesConcept sheet
- 03DesignDesignWe express your brand's core through its logo, colors, typography, and photographic style. Considering how these will appear on business cards, signage, and websites, we define standards for a cohesive visual identity.Main deliverablesLogo and visual identity (VI) guidelines
- 04ApplyApplyWe extend the design standards to business cards, packaging, signage, the website, and shops and spaces. Adapting to each role and use, we make sure the brand’s character comes through wherever people encounter it.Main deliverablesBrand materials and design guidelines
- 05GrowGrowAfter launch or opening, we review customer responses and feedback from staff to improve communication and usability. For ongoing advice and improvements as your business evolves, our design advisory service is led personally by our founder, Shuntaro Takano.Key supportOperational reviews and improvement proposals
LoopGrow, review, refine.
We use customer responses and staff feedback after launch or opening to guide improvements, revisiting the research and concept when needed.
At each stage, we explain the thinking behind our proposals and confirm a shared understanding before moving on. If an opening or relaunch date is set, we work backward from it to prioritize the work and plan the schedule.
What branding changes
01Build reasons to be chosen beyond price
As the strengths and value unique to your business come across, you build reasons for people to say “I want to work with them” or “I want this product.”
02Clear criteria make creative work easier
Sharing what to communicate and the design standards means less hesitation when producing promotional or recruiting materials, and smoother reviews and decisions.
03Your brand's character, at every touchpoint
Consistent messaging and a cohesive brand identity connect your shop, website, social media, and business cards. They help customers recognize your brand and build familiarity and trust over time.
04Share what you value with your team
Putting your philosophy and commitments into words makes them useful both in hiring and in training after people join. It builds a shared understanding of what matters in your work.
When to talk to us about branding
Talk to us in situations like these.
Typical consultations
- You want to build from the concept up for an opening or a new brand launch
- You want to convey the strengths of your products or services and be chosen for reasons beyond price
- You want a cohesive brand identity across your shop, website, and printed materials
- You want to rethink your brand at a generational handover or a shift in your business
- You want to share your philosophy and values in hiring and within the company
Approaches tailored to your needs
- If you already know what you need, such as promotional materialsWe also take on individual projects such as brochures and flyers. We’ll learn your goals and what you want to convey, then propose designs suited to your business.
- If you want ongoing design consultationFrom advice on everyday materials to brand direction and priorities for your initiatives, we offer a monthly design advisory service with our founder, Shuntaro Takano, working alongside you directly. About design advisory →
Branding tailored to your industry and business stage
- 01Restaurants and retailWe clarify what makes your shop special and why people visit, then extend it to the shop name, logo, signage, menu, interior, website, and social media. From the moment people discover your shop to their time inside and the impression they leave with, we connect it all with a consistent world.
- 02Ryokan and hotelsWe uncover the property’s history, the appeal of its surroundings, and its approach to hospitality, and convey its unique value through words and design. From the website and brochures to in-house signage, we connect guests’ anticipation before their stay with their experience during it. About web design for ryokan and hotels →
- 03Manufacturers and small businessesWe clarify your technical strengths, quality, and approach to your work, then express them through words and design for business partners, customers, and job seekers. Company brochures, websites, product packaging, and recruitment materials communicate what makes your company and products distinctive.
- 04Openings and new venturesWe start by hearing your vision and clarifying who you’ll deliver value to, and what value. From concept, naming, and logo to shop, space, and website, we work out together what you need, and move the launch forward with a consistent direction and schedule.
Branding costs and timelines
Start with what’s needed, and set priorities together.
Branding costs and timelines depend on your business's situation and the scope of work. We begin by discussing your goals and challenges, then define the work and approach needed, from concept development to logos, brand materials, websites, and shop or spatial design. We then provide an estimate and schedule.
There’s no need to do everything at once. We’ll work out with you what to tackle first and what to phase in, based on your budget and your opening or launch date. Initial consultations and estimates are free.
Main factors in the estimate
- Content and scope of interviews and research
- Concept development, naming, and taglines
- Scope of logo and visual identity (VI) design
- Types and number of items to be designed, such as business cards, packaging, and signage
- Scope of web design and shop/spatial design
- Operational support and improvement proposals after launch or opening
Branding FAQ
Q01Can I request just a logo?
Yes, we take on logo-only projects. That said, a logo is only one part of expressing your character. Setting decision criteria through a short interview before we draw makes it easier to extend the logo to business cards and the web.
Q02Can a small shop work with you?
Of course. From opening a small shop to rebranding accommodations or companies, we shape the scope to fit your scale.
Q03What are typical timelines and costs?
The cost depends on the scope, from brand messaging and logos to brand materials, websites, and interiors. After discussing your needs, we outline the work and provide an estimate for each part. Initial consultations and estimates are free.
Q04Can you refresh our brand while keeping our current logo?
Yes. We keep the trust and attachment you’ve built while identifying what to refine and what to change.
Q05Can I work with you from far away?
Branding can be done through online meetings. Based in Kobe, we mainly serve the Kansai and Kanto regions. If you’re farther away, please consult us online.
Q06How long does branding take?
The timeline depends on the scope of work. If your opening or relaunch date is set, we plan backward from it, so please get in touch as early as possible.
Q07Can you help us name our shop or brand?
Yes. We learn about your business philosophy and customer base, then propose shop names, product names, and taglines along with the concept. We present candidates after a brief check of trademark registrations. For formal searches and applications, we recommend consulting a patent attorney or other specialist.
Q08Where should a rebrand begin?
First, we review together the voices of your current customers and staff and the materials you’ve made so far. After identifying what should change and what trust and attachment should remain, we refine in order: words, form, then touchpoints.
Q09Can I commission branding together with website and shop design?
Yes. Because Rootfor also handles shop and spatial design and web design, the person who built your brand standards can stay involved through the design of your shop and website.
Q10Where are meetings held?
Online, or in person at your shop or office. Seeing the place firsthand often reveals strengths that are then easier to put into words.