Balabala
We were briefed to create a retail brand experience with international quality and appeal, to raise the profile of Balabala, part of the leading Chinese retail group, Semir. The scheme needed to reflect Balabala’s ‘let children be children’ philosophy, be colourful and fun.
We expanded upon the logotype to create a secondary ‘jumbled’ logo mark. This is used at large scale as 3D letters and as a repeat pattern forming a grey neutral background within the fascia, which allows the corporate yellow to stand out.
The bold scheme was developed for varying sizes, from flagship through to shop-in-shop. There is clear segmentation through graphic wall treatments and signage. We created a hard working perimeter and midfloor system to make it easy for parents to shop, while a sense of discovery and interaction is provided by low-level communication and play areas for children.
The illustrative family of characters we created can be seen throughout the store and is incorporated within POS holders, fixtures, mannequins, staff uniforms and carrier bags. The characters are now being expanded into a range of soft toys and there are even plans for a TV cartoon series.
