About the Brand
Marrakech Oil set out to establish a premium brand identity for their argan oil products which is sourced from Morocco, the original habitat of the argan tree. Known for its rich vibrant heritage and natural beauty, Morocco is provided the perfect inspiration for a brand dedicated to authenticity, luxury, and sustainability.
But the brand’s goal doesn’t end at providing good quality argan oil. Marrakech Oil honors the traditions of Morocco while giving you the results you want — a portion of every purchase helps support local communities and ensures the preservation of Moroccan farming techniques, putting power back in the hands of Moroccan farmers.
This was a great brief to achieve a meaningful brand from. The brand was designed to resonate with authenticity to the culture, and yet be distinctive at a glance.
Brand Personality
With the inspiration of vibrant markets and stunning landscapes of Marrakech, the brand brings a touch of exotic charm to everyday beauty routines.
Combining traditional Moroccan ingredients with modern technology, Marrakech Oil delivers premium, caring beauty products.
With a deep respect for the nature and Moroccan culture, the brand prioritizes fair trade practices, sustainable sourcing and supporting the Moroccan community.
The Design Brief:
Objectives and Aspirations
My Role
Marrakech Oil is a new brand which seeks to introduce non-processed premium quality argan oil products from Morocco, the original region where the argan tree is cultivated. The brand's vision was to be able to maintain a genuine Moroccan culture with a luxury look and feel to a global market.
As a new venture, Marrakech Oil required a comprehensive and cohesive visual identity from scratch. The project required a logo design, a full set of brand guidelines and packaging for a series of products that capture the essence of the brand. The designs were to recognize the depth of Morocco's cultural heritage, the quality of the product and acknowledge that Marrakech Oil is committed to sustainability and ethical practices.
Logo Design
Brand Guidelines
Packing Design
Key Challenges
Balancing Tradition and Modernity:
Morocco's artful landscapes, traditions, and rich heritage needed to be featured in their designs while also considering global appeal, as it needed to cater to a modern audience. One of the primary challenges was to achieve the balance of cultural significance and moderation luxury.
Developing Packaging with a Story:
The packaging had to go beyond functionality—it needed to reflect luxury and self-care meanwhile embodying the essence of Morocco. This compounded the challenge of adhering to practical production concerns like costs and scalability.
Positioning for a Global Market:
Marrakech Oil’s branding identity had to connect to consumers who out of context might not know the cultural or historical importance of argan oil. Designing for a global audience while staying true to Moroccan roots required careful research and execution
Logo Design Process
The Marrakech Oil logo design stemmed from analyzing the brand’s bond to Morocco’s cultural and natural heritage. At the center of the concept was the desire to create a symbol that would embody the essence of Morocco while conveying the luxury and purity of the argan oil products.
The design process started with research into Moroccan motifs, landscapes, and cultural symbols. The Atlas Mountains is a defining feature of the Moroccan landscape and home to argan tree. So it became a key source of inspiration. To reflect the sunlit warmth of the region, the rising sun was incorporated as a symbol of renewal and vitality. The combination of the sun and mountain figure, represented both the origins of the product and also the brand’s vision of natural beauty.
The process began with an in-depth exploration of Moroccan culture, argan oil’s origins, and the brand’s values. Competitor analysis and market trends was made.
A mood board was created to capture the brand’s visual direction, drawing inspiration from Moroccan landscapes, traditional patterns and luxurious beauty aesthetics.
Initial logo concepts were created focusing on integrating Moroccan motifs and nature-inspired elements, while balancing authenticity with modern luxury.
The strongest concepts were refined, experimenting with compositions and typography that complemented the emblem.
Multiple logo variations were presented for feedback, with revisions made to ensure the final design aligned perfectly with the brand’s story.
The finalized logo was adjusted for versatility across different mediums, with usage guidelines created to maintain consistent application in all formats.
The Final Logo: Symbolism and Rationale
The letter “M” is inspired by the Atlas Mountains which lie in the southwest part of Morocco where argan trees flourish, specifically in the Souss Valley. The peaks of “M” are the summits of the mountains serving to show the might and force of nature. The “M” helps to hold down the logo amongst the powerful natural heritage of Marrakech Oil, generating feelings of reliability.
The letter “O” is derived from the sun which influences the weather patterns within Morocco, specifically the Souss Valley, the only place where argan trees grow. It is the sun's warmth that fosters a rare environment in this region, allowing for argan trees to flourish. The shape of “O” embodies the sun, which provides giving energy essential to the growth and health of the argan tree.
