A cigar and spirits brand with a story to tell
Hooten Young was born on a chilly winter evening when retired Delta Force Master Sergeant Norm Hooten and Tim Young were sitting fireside, reminiscing about the friends they’ve made and lost along the way. It was in between long pulls of their cigars and slow sips of their whisky, that they decided they wanted to forge a brand bonded in brotherhood and the love of freedom, family and honor.
Orlando, FL
2020
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- Dev
- Strategy
- Design
01
The Ask
- Dev
- Strategy
- Design
Hooten Young asked 321 to breathe life into this new brand. 321 imagined the total brand experience, starting with a full brand strategy, identity system, website and designing and development of their product line of cigars and spirits.
02
The POSITION
We had Quite the Story
to Tell
Hooten Young came to us with an existing logo, a great story and a value proposition to match. They wanted to position themselves as more than a product-driven brand, but a belief that anything worth doing should be done with excellence and every effort should honor those who give nothing less. So we took this approach building to inspire our brand strategy from both a messaging and visual standpoint.
03
The Concept
Products that Honor
With one cigar line under their belt, Hooten Young asked 321 to develop their newest cigar Operation Overlord. Named after the codename for D-Day, 321 created the full brand experience including product identity, package and full marketing collateral. We armed the brand with robust visual DNA that empowered the product and resonating with those who not only appreciate a good smoke but the historical remembrance of the 156,000 allied troops that landed on the shores of Normandy, France.
04
The Website
Next, we needed to design and develop an experience where these products and stories could live so the masses could share the same sentiments as we did about the brand. We worked from the ground up, developing an e-commerce site enriched in the brand experience, while ensuring product prominence.
05
Social Media Strategy
To complement our branding and online efforts, we rolled out an aggressive social strategy that included a complete reframing that was driven by high-quality, relevant content to engage current and new users by establishing brand trust and awareness. Leveraging a content blend driven by product, lifestyle and influencers — we introduced Hooten Young to the world and heightened the conversation across the brand.
06
The Photography
To capture the augmented brand system, 321 shot a series of product and lifestyle photography that helped visually narrate Hooten Young’s identity.
