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!