Creating a modern take for a timeless brand.

Fine-tuning a refresh for a legendary brand.

Martin Guitar is a brand that defies time. Since 1833, they’ve made many of the most popular acoustic guitars in the world — guitars played by everyone from casual strummers to superstars. The company needed a branding refresh to remain relevant to a global audience of players of all ages while continuing to reflect its timeless heritage. Working closely with Martin, we helped develop a branding position and other foundational elements. Guidelines for logo usage, photography, type, voice, website design and more keep everyone — and it’s a big, diverse group—on brand. It all adds up to a consistent, unified image that strikes a chord Martin can call its own.

CLIENT

C. F. Martin & Co.

SERVICES

  • Identity
  • Positioning
  • Web
  • Digital + Print Advertising
  • Media Buying + Planning
Inner pages of the C.F. Martin & Co. Brand Guidelines, detailing the brand position, target audience, brand personality, and correct use of the logo.
Two C.F. Martin & Co. print ads - Martin Craftsmanship in Every Ukulele, and Play Live Without Limits - showing how the brand guidelines have been used to create the ads.
A print ad for Martin Guitars, with the headline Still Handmade by Evan. On the left we see details of the craftsmanship and on the right we see a young man playing the guitar while standing beside some guitar body templates
A print ad for Martin Guitars, with the headline Make Every Performance Count. On the left we see the guitar full-length and on the right we see a young woman playing it while perched casually outside of a stage door, showing that a performance anywhere can be meaningful.
A collage of photographs showing Martin guitars in various playing environments alongside images of guitars being created in the guitar factory, and artifacts from the Martin archives.
A digital ad is shown on a mobile phone, with the headline Perform Anywhere over an image of a Martin guitar being carried casually down the street.
Four different digital ads for Martin guitars are shown, with headlines: New Options No Limits, Still Handmade by Heather and Kim, Play Without Limits, and New Classics Have Arrived.
A screenshot of the Guitar World website surrounded by a Martin ad with the headline New Options No Limits.
A Martin branded t-shirt is shown on a muscular man with colorful tattoos
A collage of photographs showing Martin guitars in various playing environments alongside images of guitars being created in the guitar factory, and artifacts from the Martin archives.
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