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Mestisos
MANS B EST CONC E P T
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Mestisos Pet Spa is
the city’s most luxurious spa for dogs. It is a state-of-the-art
facility that provides the ultimate in pampering for pets.
Mestisos was the inspiration of two brothers whose passion
was breeding and showing champion bloodline boxers.
After years spent at the most glamorous dog shows in North
America, they began to envision a spa where all dogs could be
treated like show champions, no matter what their lineage.
When the brothers approached the Blu Concept design agency,
they focused on their core values, their stories from the dog show
circuit, and most importantly, their vision. From these initial
discussions, the direction for the entire brand was apparent.
Literally translated, the word “mestisos” means “mixed
ancestry,” a name that seemed integral to their brand
philosophy. Their vision was to create a dog spa that catered to
all dogs, not just the purebred and privileged. Every dog would
be treated to the exclusive Mestisos experience. The rm’s
challenge was to crystallize the client’s vision in a tangible way
that could be articulated and embraced by their clients.
GROOM I N G THE CO N C EPT
First, the team identi ed everything they didn’t want
Mestisos to be. From their years in the canine community, the
Villafuerte brothers had plenty of experience with groomers
and breeders to draw from. Mestisos needed to be clean,
elegant, and above all, professional. They wanted it to have
similar attributes as a sophisticated spa for people, except with
a de nite dog personality.
For Mestisos Pet Spa, the designers envisioned colors that
were soothing and re ned but, at the same time, upscale
and dramatic. After trying several color combinations, they
settled on a palette that re ected the symbolism of the
Mestisos name. Equal proportions of clean white and pure
black were seen together and then mixed to create a perfectly
balanced, harmonious gray. This aesthetic was not limited
to the identity but was carried through to the spa itself.
Black awnings, polished gray etched-concrete oors, white
walls, and black ironwork accents helped de ne the Mestisos
experience. In addition to the balance of the core identity,
the designers added fresh transparent tones, such as hues of
Blu Concept’s designers created multiple versions of Mestisos Pet
Spa’s business cards. The rounded corners gave a softened touch
in contrast to the masculine color palette.
DE SIG N
BLU CO
N
CR EATI V
RICHARD
DE SIG NE
JENA PO
CL IEN T
MESTIS
O
glass, t
mainta
With th
set abo
They f
decide
a secon
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ure
fectly
ed
ite
stisos
ty,
s of
Pet
uch
DE SIG N FIR M
BLU CONC EPT INC.
CR EATI VE DI R EC TOR
RICHARD KLINGLE-WATT
DE SIG NE R
JENA POW ELL
CL IEN T
MESTISOS PET SPA
Since Blu Concepts designers were dealing with such a strict set of components, they felt they could
maintain and even evolve the brand identity through manipulation of the core elements. As a result, multiple
versions of the business cards were created, each very distinctive, but all still true to the original vision.
glass, to soften the tones of the brochure and postcards, yet
maintain the dramatic feel.
With the tone and palette in place, Blu Concept’s designers
set about creating the identity, which happened very naturally.
They felt the name was so original and memorable that they
decided to make that center stage and have the dog icon play
a secondary role. For the image, they chose a silhouette of a
proud boxer, which both paid homage to the brothers’ breeding
heritage and provided the perfect statement for the spa.
The overall look achieved just the level of sophistication and
elegance the client had originally outlined and clearly speaks
to those seeking a high-quality experience for their own four-
legged champions, whether they have papers or not.
Metaphorical
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