Mind in Open Air – Holebrook’s Brand Journey
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Holebrook is already present in several international markets. But after a period of rapid growth, the need arose to pause, recalibrate, and reconnect with what truly defines the brand. With the help of WDW Creative Studio, Holebrook landed on a clear platform and expression to continue growing with.
With retailers in 13 countries and a business that had steadily grown for several years, the starting point was strong. At the same time, the Holebrook team felt that something was slipping out of their hands.
– We needed to create a more holistic brand that works globally, says Anneli Gustavsson, Marketing Director at Holebrook.
– We realized we had grown quickly and broadly, but our communication hadn’t quite kept up. We needed to increase brand awareness, reach a new conscious consumer, and at the same time retain our existing audience.
Much looked good, but there was a need to clarify the context. What does Holebrook stand for? How should it be expressed? And how does everything connect—from collections to campaigns?
– It’s easy to become too sales-driven in our industry, which can make the brand unclear. We needed to land on who we are, what we should say, to whom, and how. That has been absolutely crucial, especially ahead of the consumer launch, continues Anneli.
The choice fell on WDW Creative Studio, a branding and design agency with extensive experience in brand development across fashion, music, hotels, restaurants, wine, beer, and spirits, and which has also been recognized in several industry competitions in recent years.
– WDW felt completely right for us. They have broad expertise and a flexible organization where strategy, design, and partly PR are integrated. We also saw that they understood contemporary trends and consumer behavior, which was important for us. And we clicked immediately. Chemistry is always decisive in work like this.
For WDW, it was a project that suited the agency well: a clear brand with a strong heritage, yet in need of defining its place in the present.
– Our approach was never to invent something new, but to listen to the brand’s core and highlight what was already there, yet may have been overshadowed over time, says Hanna Nordström, Agency Director and Partner at WDW Creative Studio.
– When you get it right, you can shape an expression that not only clarifies the brand but deepens it and makes it easy to communicate consistently, whether locally or internationally, Hanna continues.
According to Holebrook, the process has been both important and eye-opening.
– The most valuable thing has been WDW’s ability to identify our soul, describe us with the right words, and create a visual expression that feels modern and updated while still rooted in exactly who we are. A successful evolution, simply put.
From WDW’s perspective, collaboration was key to achieving the strong final result.
– We met an organization that wanted to be challenged but also knew what they stood for. There was clear professionalism, and we received direct feedback along the way—both when we were on the right track and when adjustments were needed.
The outcome of the work is more than a new visual identity. It’s a story built on something many can relate to: the longing to be outdoors, even when inside. That a knitted garment can offer more than warmth—it can carry a sense of freedom, a quiet longing beyond the boundaries of everyday life.
It was in that feeling that Mind in Open Air emerged. An idea, a platform, and a grounding in Holebrook’s West Coast spirit.
– It feels fantastic to have a clear voice and a clear visual expression, says Anneli at Holebrook.
– We’ve gained more confidence. Now we know what to say and how to say it.
