Grace Sunset Collection: Not Real's beauty branding that steps beyond the stereotypes

In a series of articles, we're bringing you an in-depth look at some of the most exciting work from this year's 2021 winners. And today, we're going to take a look at the winner for Branding of the Year: Grace Sunset Collection by Not Real.

Background

With offices in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Madrid, Not Real is a multidisciplinary creative studio focused on branding, art direction and animation. Established in 2017 by directors Milton Gonzalez and Valeria Moreiro, along with producer Roberto Connolly, its goal is to create impactful high-end visual content that helps brands interact in the current world.

"Every project is a unique opportunity for something new, so we keep ourselves visually and technically versatile, pursuing unique and fresh ideas to achieve up-to-date communication goals," says Robert. "We believe our production and organisational skills are key to achieving high-standard visual results."

Breaking down archetypes

Led by Valeria Moreiro, Grace Sunset Collection was an integrated branding passion project in which Not Real designed all the different aspects of a brand, from the name, the basic identity, the application to different media, up to a commercial animated piece.

Robert explains that the thinking behind it went further than a typical beauty campaign. "The world has done huge progress in breaking the archetypes of beauty," he explains. "People have stopped seeing their shells as the bastion for beauty. Grace is about feeling good, healthy and safe in your own skin, empowering women into the idea that self-care is the new self-esteem."

Main challenges

The initial research focus was to find the main concepts that would lead to the brand personality, going through the brand's name, the product line to be showcased, and the content to be produced. This resulted in a strategy that could make the brand stand out from the market and find a unique tone of voice.

The biggest visual challenge the team encountered, Robert says, was to find the right combination of graphic resources, photography, CGI, and animated graphics.

"The research was deep in terms of colour, graphic layouts, use of typography, textures and materials," he says. "The photoshoot was something we don't produce every day, with a deeper focus on pre-production. It was really fun for us."

Winning Branding of the Year for the Grace Sunset Collection was a great boost for the team, says Robert. "Getting recognised by colleagues and the industry always keeps you motivated for pushing your own boundaries, exploring new creative approaches and staying updated with the visual trends," he says. "It's also an extra way of catching the eye of new clients and markets you'd like to work for."

Enter the Indigo Design Award 2022!

Fancy entering for next year? Then you'll be pleased to know the Indigo Award 2022 is now open for submission. You need to enter your work by 30 September 2021 and can find all the details you need at indigoawards.com.