Brand Strategy / E-Commerce / Art Direction / Marketing
Immibrand began as an idea in late 2016, sparked by the anti-immigrant rhetoric of former and current President Trump, who targeted Mexicans—documented or otherwise.
Today, as the threat of fascism erodes the façade of American democracy, Immibrand has grown into my most powerful outlet for anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist expression. Through political commentary, resistance, and bold pop art, it amplifies our presence and makes it impossible to ignore.
The Birth of Immibrand
Immibrand couldn’t have found a more fitting focus than brand strategy, as its core revolves around identity and its politics. The project is a deep dive into how branding shapes perception, especially within the context of cultural and political narratives.
The Design Philosophy
The word-mark execution was intentionally simple: reduce visual clutter without sacrificing readability or meaning. This approach was rooted in gestalt design theory, emphasizing clarity and impact by stripping away the unnecessary.
Evolution of the Project
While Immibrand has remained consistent in its mission, its deliverables have evolved. Initially, the focus was on selling essential apparel like tees, jackets, and hoodies.
However, the project found a stronger connection with its audience through portrait illustrations of Latin icons, which resonated deeply with its community.
The Business Model
Using a print-on-demand model, Immibrand can test multiple product lines without the burden of overhead costs. The only investments are in marketing and nurturing its primary audience: Millennials and Gen-X Latinos in North America who take pride in their roots and are eager to showcase their heritage in their homes and workplaces.
Immigrant + Brand = Immibrand
Brand Colors
Visual branding for image-rich websites is always a balance of creating a distinct identity, but one that doesn’t overwhelm the content and distracts the viewer.
And, we Latinos, aren’t soft-spoken people. Our colors are vibrant and energetic. This is my challenge.
#daa520
Header Typography
Immibrand’s primary font is Cubano, a condensed design with heavy strokes and soft, rounded corners that give it a friendly feel but bold presence that is excellent for short headlines.
Body Typography
Immibrand’s body font family is Futura PT. A popular and standard typeface, Futura offers clean geometries, easy reading, and a dynamic range in readability at different scales (Helvetica can eat it).
Website Overview
The website is built on WordPress and powered by WooCommerce, creating a robust and seamless funnel that guides users through brand awareness, education, and conversions. The design prioritizes clarity and simplicity, ensuring the focus remains on the core content: the illustrations.
Design Challenge
A key challenge was crafting a website that felt well-designed without being “overly designed.” The goal was to avoid distractions and let the illustrations—central to Immibrand’s identity—take center stage.
Key Features
- Flexible Payment Options: Catering to diverse customer preferences.
- Secured Payment Encryptions: Ensuring safe and trustworthy transactions.
- Automated Cart Abandonment Follow-Up: Re-engaging potential customers to boost conversions.
- Heat Map Analytics: Tracking user journeys to optimize the experience.
- Segmented Contact Form Leads: Organizing and nurturing leads effectively.
Product Design
The illustrations are created digitally using an iPad. The challenge goes beyond simply recreating portraits of well-known Latin icons—it’s about infusing each piece with unique flair and personality that complements a variety of interior spaces. Some works are commissioned, allowing clients to customize colors, painting styles, and sizes to suit specific site requirements.
Versatile Deliverables
While the primary offering is a portrait on canvas, Immibrand also delivers artwork on:
- Plexiglass
- Museum-grade poster paper
- Metal
This flexibility ensures each piece can adapt to different aesthetic and functional needs of where the wall art prints will be hung.
In the Wild + Marketing
Immibrand, a coined name, had the advantage of securing all essential online domain names and social media profiles, including:
- immibrand.com
- facebook.com/immibrand
- instagram.com/immibrand
- pinterest.com/immibrand
- tiktok.com/@immibrand
Language & Visual Identity
The brand’s language and visual identity were crafted to resonate as clear, intelligent, and relatable. It embraces the Spanglish vernacular most familiar to 1.5+ generation Latinos, reflecting the working-class demographic it serves. This approach is not about “dumbing down” but about meeting the audience where they are, with authenticity and cultural nuance.
