The Mask as Brand Statement

The Mask as Brand Statement

What are KPop singing groups, the beatmaker VNCE Carter and Italian designer Tizianna Scaramuzzo have in common? Masks. A few months ago, the most common answer would probably have been art. In the wake of COVID, much has changed.

VNCE Carter[1], the eclectic disc jockey from popular Quebec rap group Dead Obies, has been playing the shadow artist game by wearing a mask for some time now. Rarely dull, he’s not shy about using it as part of his style and letting his “swag” do the talking.

VNCE CARTER - Make It Rain Records — VNCE Carter performing for Dead Obies.
*Photo by Joy Ride Records.*

The K Pop groups, from the South Korea that gives them their name, are well known for taking this popular element of Asian culture, out of respect for others, and turning it into a cutting-edge fashion accessory[2] Sporting a simple solid-color style or original patterns, they’ve become a style complement that can’t be ignored.

Two examples of swimwear designed by Tiziana Scaramuzzo.

You only have to cross the Atlantic – something I don’t particularly recommend these days – to find the most striking example. The owner and founder of the Elexia Beachwear brand, Tiziana Scaramuzzo, saw an opportunity not to be missed in this particular situation. Taking the saying “Don’t waste a good crisis” to the letter, from her small town of Senigallia, Italy, she produces a brand new concept in women’s swimwear called “Trikini”. As you may have guessed, it’s a set of bikinis with a matching mask, and the result is quite astonishing. [3]

Rather than seeing the imposition of the mask this Saturday, July 18, in all enclosed public places[4] as a burden or an obstacle, this is a golden opportunity to proudly display your colors!

Rather than give up in the face of this tsunami of unfortunate circumstances, this entrepreneur decided to turn it into an innovative idea. Of course, few of us operate a fashion brand or boast the experience that goes with it. However, there are many who own businesses or play an important role in marketing them. Here’s my suggestion.

Rather than seeing the imposition of masks this Saturday, July 18, in all enclosed public places[4], as a burden or an obstacle, here’s a golden opportunity to proudly display your colors! Whether for employees, who will have to get back in touch with their customers, or for loyal consumers, who will gradually become customers again, the mask can be a simple and very fashionable means of expression.

It’s time to transport your identity into this new normal, at least for as long as it lasts. Whether it’s a simple logo or a design unique to your brand, the mask will be a must-have, not just because it’s in your face, but because it offers visibility unmatched by a simple piece of fabric. That’s the low-cost gamble Machiavel took when it enlisted the services of local company Iguana Créations to create the masks that will be used to make our next projects safer, should the need arise.

I wouldn’t even be surprised to see some of the free promotional items being very pragmatic items such as masks, gloves or even small containers of disinfectant! It’s sure to make getting back to normal a lot more fun.