by A typeface inspired by Sámi letters and stone carving takes center stage in the tour operator’s new identity.
London-based studio SomeOne has changed the name of a tour operator known for organizing packages to Lapland to move away from Christmas clichés and better represent its offering.
SomeOne’s instinct was to move the brand toward “more authentic stories” tied to its location in the far north of Finland among the snowy forests of Saariselkä, more than 200km above the Arctic Circle, according to the founder and executive strategic creative director of the study, Simon Manchipp. .
The design team sought to achieve this through a new bespoke typeface that was developed together with the Colophon foundry using “historical and traditional Sámi letterforms and techniques,” says Manchipp. The Sámi are the Finno-Ugric-speaking people who inhabit the Sápmi region, which comprises the area historically known as Lapland.
The foundry adapted a cut of its Nib typeface using new SomeOne ligatures, and the result was a “more rustic typeface” influenced by calligraphy and stone carving, Manchipp says. He adds that the new typeface seeks to add “signature visual cues to all communications.”
The new wordmark for Santa’s Lapland is also derived from Sámi letterforms and designed with the qualities of woodcutting in mind. Manchipp says that taking influence from the cultural traditions of the place is part of a strategy to “raise the standards of the brand.”
The brand’s new pictograms and iconography are designed to work consistently with the new typeface. They will appear at both physical and digital touch points to communicate with younger visitors who might not be highly literate.
Manchipp explains that the brand’s new voice is now talking about “the search for Santa, instead of [coming] of Santa Claus”. Speaking about the earlier tone of voice, he adds: “It was a bit funny getting the flight times from the man in red.”
The rebranding also makes use of more traditional materials following Santa’s Lapland’s commitment to increasing its focus on sustainability and “moving away from the shiny plastic balls of Christmas past,” says Manchipp.
The new TV spots were written by SomeOne and directed by Sorted.tv and will be available in a couple of weeks. Manchipp says shooting the stills and film in -20°C temperatures “surrounded by huskies and reindeer” was both a new experience and a challenge. Someone also worked with Los Angeles studio Crafted on the new Santa’s Lapland website.
The new brand will be rolled out across all physical and digital channels and will even appear on their planes.
