The Table

What are the main factors that influence people's personalities? Why do we find some people so irresistible that we all fall instantly under their spell?

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We are what we are, but we are also something much more. We have no control over what we are born with, but all that we are beyond that, is what truly makes us who we are.

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On the one hand we can't change our genetic makeup, but on the other hand, as the Dalai Lama says, "humans are creatures of thought — not of genes."  If we lead with that perspective, then it is in fact up to us to build the body and mind in which we really want. To resist any tendency to be at war with ourselves, to simply exercise bravery, to be uniquely us, and bare it all with pride and joy.

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In an effort to encourage divergence from the common notion of self-identity being static, The Table aims to replace this with a novel concept called the "identity playlist". Formed from the belief that all of our identities are built like a playlist. As we navigate through life, we slowly discover our own sound, adding and removing tracks, experimenting with different mixes until we form a construct of ourselves. All you need to do is press play and bare your soul to the world without regret, without fear. Just bring you to the table, all of you. Bare it all because the world needs the weird, the inspiring, the quirky, and the rebellious. Inclusivity, that's the real key to passionate, and positive living.

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As part of this project, we crafted a new and adaptive identity, developed and created a strategy that would aid in the launch of a fun, expressive, and inspiring brand and marketing campaign for The Table.  Kicking things off with an identity exercise, the initial question was "what does The Table truly stand for —  what is our purpose?" From this, the tagline that would inform the creative direction moving forward was defined.  "… Bring you to the table!"   A fitting sentiment and call to action for people to bring their authentic selves to the table and share their stories.

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Taking inspiration from dozens of table designs throughout the centuries, our aim was to craft a logo that was symbolic and dynamic. We landed on a symbolic table esque silhouette that was both simplistic and appropriate as well as identifiable. With a mono stroke composition, we laid a semi bold stroke on top of an upturned letter U. This decision was strategic in order to expand the usage of the mark as a capsule for the beautiful people The Table aims to highlight. Along with mark construction, we explored typography to pair up with the mark. We settled in on Noir Pro, a clean and sophisticated type with contemporary aesthetics and a warm organic personality. This felt like a lovely pairing where the type provided good versatility for expansive identity usage, from light and elegant weights for a cleaner, more dainty ambiance to a stronger, more masculine tone. Conjoining the type in an equally weighted style, we created a harmony between the two elements that lent to the appearance of the table being the opposing party at,  well,  the table. We then stress tested the mark, the combination mark in both primary horizontal and secondary vertical configurations, and we were proud to say that it stood up against all applicable scenarios and use cases with plenty of room for future application expansion. In addition to the logo, we composed a foundational identity ethos that would allow for the brand to be as flexible and adaptive as necessary, inline with the overarching concept of us all being made up of a vast collage of aspects, we opted to do away with a base color palette. With a strong symbolic and typographic identity, we wanted the brand to inherit its colorful personality from the people it would come to highlight.

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And now we set our eyes and minds on the campaign.

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When approaching the creative direction of this campaign, we drew inspiration from the concept of source energy. More specifically, the concept that at any one time it is possible for multiple consciousness to inhabit us. This felt fitting, as often there is an inner struggle between conflicting aspects of our being, experiences, beliefs, and emotions. Leading off that concept, we thought that tapping into the sides of people that are typically reserved for their fortresses of solitude and hidden from the world would be an idle jumping off point. We are the accumulation of what hundreds of people see at once and none of what they see at the same time. With that in mind, we thought of showcasing the diverse sides of a singular person, but with others embodying these traits, literally stepping into others shoes illustrated both constructs. The opening of our minds to freely express ourselves, and opening others minds to understanding, appreciating, and cherishing the unique differences we all possess.

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With this campaign, The Table can thoughtfully, artistically, and empathetically cast a spotlight on the miraculous beauty within every ordinary human, and perhaps,  we can all begin to see the extraordinary in ourselves,  and in others alike.

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Thank you for reading another case by Segern. If you like this content, consider sharing it on social media and subscribing to our newsletter for more. If you have a project in mind, don't hesitate to reach out; we'd love to see how we could help you. That's all for now, and until next time, love, peace, and creativity.

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