RAKSUL

History-inspired identity for the mission to bring about the next Gutenberg revolution

Since January 2021, Takram has been working with RAKSUL’s Design Promotion Office and has supported them in implementing design management to their business. RAKSUL’s business idea of “Bringing the internet to and changing the structure of a traditional industry, that has not advanced in digitalization and make them have a big impact on the world stage” is what we want to accentuate through the power of design. For this, the very first thing to be handled is the renewal of the corporate VI.

RAKSUL Brand Website

Respect towards the story of a long history

RAKSUL’s symbol is designed based on a type called “B42”. This type was used in the first Western printed Bible printed by Johannes Gutenberg using his letterpress technology. For the renewal of the corporate VI, we tried a wide range of variations, like an abstraction of the old symbol. While respecting the story of a long history and preserving the original model, we have also made fine detail updates, such as tuning to avoid an unnatural feeling in the writing order of the black letter typestyle and adjustments to the balance of margins to increase visibility when it is displayed small.

A logotype that represents the fusion of old and new

We designed a new original logotype. To express a sense of stability for RAKSUL’s services, which work as an infrastructure, the previously mixed case typeface has been unified to uppercase. While basing it on a modern typeface, corners are rounded to create a feeling for, for example, the “bleeding” that is unique to printing. With this twist, we created this fusion of old and new to underline how RAKSUL wants to bring the internet into a traditional industry.

Motion graphics incorporating typographic elements

RAKSUL’s business is to increase the value of traditional industries by improving their efficiency through a superior structure. We intertwined RAKSUL’s mission with letterpress printing, which innovated the printing industry, and we created motion graphics based on the images of “Metal-Type” and “Composition” printing for the new logo.

Establishing Brand Guidelines

As media becomes more and more diverse, we have established brand guidelines for a range of uses. Logo data for darker backgrounds has been created to ensure visibility regardless of the background colour. Small adjustments are being made to the lining and margins of the logo.

Project Information

Client: RAKSUL
Expertise: Brand Identity and Experiences
Year: 2021

Project Team

Project Direction: Kanako Kawahara
Creative Direction: Kanako Kawahara
Graphic Design: Ray Masaki (ex-Takram)Kanako Kawahara
Motion Design: Ray Masaki (ex-Takram)
Design Research & Advisory: Keisuke Kambara
Advisory: Kinya Tagawa
Brand Site - Design: Kanako Kawahara
Brand Site - Development: Masafumi Itokazu (RAKSUL INC.)
Music for Brand Video: Yusuke Izumi (RAKSUL INC.)
Special Thanks: Sota Mizushima, Ai Matsumoto, Masaki Azumi, Masaaki Takesue, Michio Kuratani, Yukari Kamo, K Sasaki (RAKSUL INC.)