Situation
Teknion is a Toronto-based designer and manufacturer of office furnishings with a strong reputation for quality and modernity. The company embarked on two new initiatives, both of which aimed to take ownership of a new category. The first, Studio TK, was a brand focused on furnishing social spaces within a company, stroking the engine that drives human interactions and new ways of thinking. The second was a new textile brand, led by design visionary Suzanne Tick. Because textiles are a critical part of all furnishings, and Teknion did not want to signal to the market that their offerings were only for Teknion-produced furniture, this new initiative needed its own, independent brand name.
Strategy
We worked closely with our partners at Tolleson, a creative agency with a strong pedigree in furnishings and a strategic relationship with Teknion. Through this collaboration, we resolved the positioning of this new textiles brand as one of integration. Suzanne Tick is revered for her talent at bringing hand-woven, natural materials into the modern workplace in ways that heighten the tactile and visual experience. The idea of integrated collections for an integrated experience was central to the name and identity of this new brand.
To convey integration, and to focus on Ms. Tick’s commitment to using hand-woven materials to meet modern performance objectives, we suggested the name LUUM. The name is a creative take on an age-old technology with a modern sensibility. The double U suggests alignment of materials with goals, and puts a modern face to an authentic process, all without changing pronunciation. It is an elegant, simple, and yet deep approach, mirroring Ms. Tick’s philosophy.
Results
LUUM launched at the 2016 annual Neocon Trade Show in Chicago, to tremendous industry acclaim. The brand’s collections provide a highly differentiated take on performance fabrics made from natural materials and a traditional process, giving them widespread appeal among furnishings manufacturers.
