Business cards and temporary tattoos!

To go along with the launch of The Mustache Club, I printed business cards. On the front side, with The Mustache Club information, and on the other side, Pantaloon Descendo details. I just received them and I just wanted to share them with you!

Here's the front:

And here's the reverse side -- the written logo actually reads better in person: 

I also printed some temporary tattoos with Pantaloon Descendo's logo for a future promotional/branding campaign.

Everything's coming together just right!

Creating a brand identity – Band

Yesterday, I laid out the key points to The Mustache Club’s Brand Identity.

First and foremost, Pantaloon Descendo’s music is the product. Without Pantaloon Descendo, there is no need for The Mustache Club.

Yet, the branding strategy for Pantaloon Descendo isn’t that different from the one I laid out for The Mustache Club. 

It revolves around three key principles:

1) A good name : Pantaloon Descendo

I like the name.

It’s unique (which makes it Google-exclusive, a very important aspect today).

The name is a personal creation, which comes from the French “Pantalon Descendu”. It translates into “dropped down pants”.

It sounds like it could be a magical formula or something.

But it definitely foreshadows something naughty.

Which is great, because I like to brand my style as “Naughty folk!”

2) A strong logo

The logo combines a heart and an inverted cross. It’s a different spin on something universal, the heart symbol. It is easily recognizable. 

It is easy to reproduce by hand, and easy to slap everywhere as a watermark. 

3) Visual image: make up

I chose to hide my face under black and white make up for one reason: plausible deniability. I have a good career and don’t want to fuck it up (yet) by having colleagues dig up some dirt on me.

At the same time, I enjoy the ‘mystique’ of hiding one’s face.

In an age where everyone’s super accessible all the time via social media, posting selfies and all, I like the idea of maintaining some sort of distance between my personal life and my artistic endeavours.

Creating a brand identity – Label

Pantaloon Descendo and The Mustache Club are meant to walk hand-in-hand.

Both are a part of a same component: Pantaloon Descendo creates the music, The Mustache Club releases the music.

While Pantaloon Descendo is the product, The Mustache Club is the engine.

So, I need The Mustache Club to have an identity of its own.

To start with and establish the brand, I identified three key components:

1) A good name : The Mustache Club

The Mustache Club is an evocative name. You think of a mustache club, you think of a bunch of mustachioed gents in suits. I like the image it conveys. 

But I wanted the name to make you chuckle, which I think it does.

Plus, being a “Club” makes it a bit more exclusive, and opens up a lot of options along the way when it comes to marketing initiatives and promotions, especially on social media.

2) A strong logo

What’s the manliest thing you can imagine?

A mustache with big fucking muscles has to be pretty high up there! 

Sure, if it were shooting guns, it would be manlier. Or if it were ripping a snake in half.

But a kickass mustache with giant biceps is pretty fucking manly!

I actually designed this way before the whole hipster craze, way before mustaches were brought back into fashion. I just drew it one day for the fun of it.Turns out I was able to repurpose it when I came up with the concept for The Mustache Club.

I like the logo: it’s easily recognizable. But, coming up with a final version wasn't that easy.

I found a font I liked

But it created dead space I wasn't too fond of. 

The solution was to write out THE MUSTACHE CLUB with an upwards curve that fills in that negative space.

There. That's a logo I can stand behind. It's easily recognizable, it makes you smile when you see it, and it's easy to slap on merchandise if need be.

3) Editorial policy: full disclosure

A part of the brand’s identity is a “full disclosure” approach via social media, and in general.

I don’t have anything to hide: I’m going into this whole ‘music label’ thing pretty clueless.

Looking for information online on how to build a label, I found some information, but not a lot ended up being really helpful.

This blog is a part of the “Full Disclosure” approach/policy. I want to document The Mustache Club’s achievements and failures so you can use it as a blueprint for what to do and what not to do if you’re running a record label.

I want to detail what worked for me, what didn’t work for me, what I learned from it and what I’d do differently next time.

Furthermore, and this is key, consistency and frequency.

I have to stay consistent with the branding; I have stay frequent with the publishing if I want this to have any pull.

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That being said, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, do get in touch! Did I miss something in my branding strategy? Let me know what your thoughts are!