Brand strategy, tone of voice, and visual identity for Lane & Merriman, a wholesaler connecting brands and retailers.

As wholesalers become more mainstream, it seems inevitable that the branding and design of these products will become more polished as well. Lane & Merriman approached Regular Animal to create a strategy and brand identity framework that would both raise its profile and support its future plans.

Regular Animal helps them identify their tone of voice, personality, and identify the brand core values. From there, we defined their mission, vision, and the attributes that make Lane & Merriman unique in the market and used them as the framework for brand development.

Lane & Merriman is a wholesaler co-founded by two entrepreneurs based on opposite sides of the Atlantic with a shared love for high-quality goods. Its distinctive name comes from Oscar Wilde’s play “The Importance of Being Earnest” in which Algernon’s butler, Lane, and Jack’s butler, Merriman, play the parts of the stereotypical English butlers: sober, helpful, and exceptionally loyal.

The Lane & Merriman brand identity is as straightforward as the two characters who inspire it; welcoming and accessible, with a solid logotype set in an old-school serif, and a supporting typeface. The typography of the wordmark works well at different sizes, scaling up to show details and proportions.

There are several aspects to building a strong brand identity and for Lane & Merriman those include the company’s logo, slogan, colors, packaging, and the company’s mission statement. These key elements highlight the brand identity and attract new customers while making existing customers feel at home.

The color palette is inspired by a colonial past and its European painters like French post-impressionist Henri Rousseau. The self-taught naïve artist who became best-known for his lush jungle scenes—despite having never left France or seen a jungle first-hand. Featuring incorrect proportions, one-sided perspective, and unnatural colors, Rousseau’s oversaturated colors evoke a sense of mystery and eccentricity that eschews the overly-industrial aesthetic typically seen in wholesaling towards a big European charm from another era. The naming and brand identity created by Regular Animal captures their elegant, sophisticated take on international trading.

For Lane and Merriman, their brand is embedded in the organization’s behavior and the service they provide to their customers. Identity is how they tell the story of how and why Lane & Merriman delivers that service, and they work hand in hand. Delving into what makes their service special, needed, and relevant drives an understanding of their organization and their identity.

Regular Animal is a Miami-based creative agency dedicated to create content that makes exceptional brands shine. We bring your brand to life through Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions™—inspiring branding, sleek graphic designuser-friendly websites, and compelling copywriting.

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