Total Design connects Kooyman BV to Caribbean heritage

Kooyman is the preferred store for both DIY enthusiasts and professionals in the Caribbean. With 7 outlets and more than 650 employees, Kooyman B.V. is the market leader in hardware, building materials, and home improvement in Curaçao, Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire and St. Maarten.
Whether homes, offices, stores, or other structures, Kooyman’s materials almost always play a role in construction or maintenance. For professional builders, there is even a
“Drive Thru.”

Kooyman is a beacon for local communities, offering more than just customer-friendly products. They collaborate and develop solutions to support residents and improve housing in the Caribbean. Kooyman offers innovative solar energy solutions for homeowners who embrace a better future and want to minimize their environmental impact. Kooyman’s brand essence, then, is “Building a better future together for a reason.”

Colorful heritage

Walking through the streets of Curaçao, you will be enchanted by the abundance of colors. Something we got to experience firsthand. It was immediately clear to us: the colorful center of Willemstad deserves its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List!
The new visual identity fits perfectly with this lively history. Kooyman is the brand that can truly embody this colorful character. This is how we connected the brand to the heritage of the Caribbean.

Transformation to Caribbean character

Kooyman is undergoing a transformation that brings them back to their true Caribbean character: striking and colorful. It represents the culture and thus the places where the stores are located, the personnel who work at Kooyman, and the customers who visit the stores every day.
The Caribbean fur gives a special modern composition of colors. And by mixing the colors, the overall picture becomes a cheerful and inviting whole. A style that the target group will recognize themselves in. One that invites for a pleasant (next) visit.
The colorful character of the visual identity can be applied very richly, but also summarily, through a design system. The tones of color are segmented into the different product categories, which are carried through the entire journey. For example, the Outdoor, Paint, Bath, Lighting, etc. categories have all been given their color.

Colorful checkered pattern
One of the key elements in Kooyman’s visual identity is the colorful style elements. The style element is inspired by the Madras, a colorful check pattern used in the making of Antillean traditional clothing. The introduction of the Madras to the Caribbean is the perfect example of how fabric can represent a culture’s identity.
The patterns create a cohesive yet unique and bright look and feel for Kooyman. Each pattern consists of four fields but can be displayed in different shapes and sizes.

The evolution of an iconic logo

Iconic brands have iconic logos, and iconic logos should not be replaced with something new every time. But if they don’t get regular minor tweaks, they will stick around and eventually become obsolete.

The Kooyman logo provides recognition; it is the figurehead of the organization. Recognizability does not thrive with major changes. Kooyman has an iconic logo and is familiar to its target audience. The circle with the K is recognizable from afar, which is why it is so important to keep precisely this shape as iconic and recognizable as possible. Precisely the reason that it must slowly change with the times.

The round element of the logo is reflected in the playful new typography. And the use of lowercase improves readability. It additionally feels less distant because of the round shapes. Finally, the grid in the background is the final invisible shape determinant, working down to the smallest details.

A dynamic and charismatic font

The selected font has a dynamic and charismatic set of shapes. The rounded elements of this sans-serif font provide the connection of the logo. This is a digital font that makes Kooyman ready for the future.
The font also creates a balance between the square patterns from the style elements.
A font was used with different weight varieties. The use of the weights ensures better legibility and thus increases the effectiveness of the assets.

Transformation in the future

Kooyman is undergoing a striking transformation and carries it with pride. A style that connects future and history. The enchanting Caribbean heritage is being translated into an all-new look and feel that will be implemented everywhere beginning in January 2024, throughout the year.