Design Grid

When we walk into a space, we rarely think about what it is trying to make us feel.

But every environment is telling us a story. Sometimes loud and obvious, other times subtle and quiet.

When SnoMaster asked us to bring life to the partitioning wall in their Cape Town showroom, we knew it could not just be decoration. It had to tell a story worth stepping into.

So we asked ourselves:
What story should this wall whisper to every customer who walks past it?
What emotions should it leave behind?

The wall was dedicated to leisure lifestyle. Not just products on display, but the experiences they enable. A campfire with friends. A glass of wine at a farm. A night out at a restaurant. A journey into the remote unknown.

We broke the wall into sections, each a fragment of a bigger journey, and built it to feel like the start of a story.

Because SnoMaster is not just about fridge freezers. It is about adventure, comfort, and the freedom to live life on your own terms.

Your next story starts here.

If you are in Cape Town, visit the SnoMaster showroom and let us know what you think of the transformation.

When last did you stop and ask if your brand is still working?

Not the logo. Not the website.
The brand.
What it means.
How it feels.
The story it tells when you are not in the room.

Most people wait until things are already falling apart before they think about this stuff.

But here is the truth:
A brand audit is not about fixing what is broken.
It is about finding out what still fits and what quietly doesn’t.

Here is when I usually see the red flags:
👉🏼 Growth is flat.
👉🏼 The team cannot explain what the brand stands for.
👉🏼 You feel stuck, even though nothing looks “wrong”.
👉🏼 A competitor shows up and suddenly your brand feels...old.

This is usually the moment when a brand audit becomes your secret weapon.

And it does not need to be complicated.

Here are 3 questions I ask every founder we work with:
1️⃣ Can your team explain your brand’s promise in one sentence?
2️⃣ Does your message still resonate with who your audience has become?
3️⃣ Do your visuals and tone reflect the business you are becoming, or the one you used to be?

If you are hesitating on any of those, I promise you are not alone.

And it might be time to take a proper look under the hood.
Because great brands do not drift.

They evolve with purpose.

Having dabbled with the current figurine trend, I decided to take it a step further and explore how it could be applied to one of my favourite South African brands, SnoMaster.

The goal was to capture and reflect the brand’s adventurous spirit in a way that resonates with outdoor enthusiasts, off-roaders, campers and explorers alike.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this creative direction.

Does it speak to the wild at heart?

In the ever-evolving landscape of brand marketing, Kim Kardashian's SKIMS has emerged as a pioneer in leveraging sensory marketing to create immersive consumer experiences.

She didn’t launch a store. She launched a sensory world...

To celebrate the new SKIMS flagship in LA, Kim partnered with the iconic Mel’s Drive-In, transforming it into a fully immersive brand experience.

From custom SKIMS-inspired milkshake menus to a photo booth wrapped in n**e tones, every element was crafted to trigger emotional recall.

Nostalgia. Warmth. Sensuality. Comfort. All in one branded space.

This wasn’t just marketing. It was sensory theatre.

Sensory marketing is one of the most underused yet high-impact brand strategies.

Studies show that brands engaging 3+ senses are more likely to be remembered and emotionally connected to.

And SKIMS is proving it!

They’re no longer selling shapewear.

They’re selling how it makes you feel, before you even touch the product.

Now let’s bring this home...

Imagine this:

A Cape Town-based fintech startup is launching a savings or investment app targeting 20 to 30-year-olds.

Instead of a traditional product demo, they host a "Future Wealth Lounge" pop-up at Mojo Market.

Guests receive metallic, textured “dream investment tokens” that they can trade at interactive stations. Each token unlocks a different financial future.

• Headphones play curated soundtracks based on their goals.
• Subtle scents change per zone. For example, citrus scents in ‘’high-growth’’ areas or calming lavender in ‘’long-term savings’’ corners.
• Branded mocktails/cocktails to reflect different investment styles.

Each station subtly ties back to user journeys inside the app, making the fintech brand memorable and ''feel'' human, not transactional.

Now, you're not selling a finance app. You’re helping people experience financial empowerment with all their senses!

If you’re building a brand in 2025, ask yourself:
1. Are you connecting with your target audience on a deeper level?
2. Are people just seeing your brand or are they ''feeling'' it?
2. How can you make your brand more memorable through the use of sensory marketing?

Let’s chat sensory strategy.

🚨 SAVE THIS! 🚨 Instagram just rolled out a big update: the grid layout has switched from square to a taller 4:5 version! Here’s what this means for your content:

✋ Stop creating square posts and switch to 4:5 content ASAP.
👀 Grid previews now display in 3:4 ratio.
🤯 Reminder: You can’t post in 3:4 — stick to 4:5 and add some padding to avoid cropping!
⚠️ Many users still see square grids, so your content needs to work for both layouts.

Swipe through the Carousel for more tips, and drop your questions below! 💬