RESPAWN: Brand Guidelines

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RESPAWN In 2018, Toys “R� Us changed its name to RESPAWN. The store upgraded to an experiential space and have toys that are trending worldwide. The first RESPAWN store will open in San Francisco in May 2019. To improve brand awareness there will be co-branding projects with SpaceX, LEGO, SFMOMA, etc. By the end of 2025, there will be over fifty stores open to the public.

RESPAWN is a world created for experiences. We all work hard to make our livelihood, but we also deserve to enjoy and relax. For some, it may be the movies, a spa session or a walk and talk with a companion in promise. But for the rest of us, we wish to not exist in reality for a while and be taken away to an adventurous journey, right from the comfy sofa that our backs refuse to get off.

RESPAWN seals the deal for the virtual wanders, we promise a grand, thrilling and otherworldly experience that you deserve after the long and stressful day.

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PRESS START TO BEGIN.

Visual Strategy History of the Brand Timeline Tomorrow Brand keywords Brand Soul Yesterday’s personality Today’s Personality Customers Market Analysis Competitors Strengths SWOT

History of the Brand

The beginning

Last peak

Charles P. Lazarus founded Children's Supermart a.k.a., Toys "R" Us in Washington, D.C. During WWII, baby toys were high in demand. Hence, the first babyfurniture retail store was opened. Eventually, the focus of the store changed. After which Toys "R" Us was exclusively for toys. An official mascot "Dr. G. Raffe" was chosen as a "spokes-animal" for the brand.

In 2011, Quartz called Toys "R" Us the largest standalone toy store chain in the world.

Helping hand Since 2004, Toys "R" Us partnered with Toys for Tots foundation to serve as a donation site for anyone donating unwrapped toys or monetary gifts. Since the outset of the partnership, reports have shown that Toys "R" Us campaigns have raised over $55 million and donated more than 4 million toys.

Start of the fall In 2011, Toys "R" Us announced it would open 21 new stores before the year ends. Since 2006, as a part of an overall strategy the company was to house Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us in the same building.

In 2011, Quartz called Toys "R" Us the largest standalone toy store chain in the world.

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Doom Since 2013, the company has not had an annual profit. It reported a net loss of US$164 MM in the quarter ended April 29, 2017. It lost US$126 MM in the same period in the prior year. In January 2018, the company announced it would liquidate and close up to 182 of its stores in the U.S. As part of its restructuring, it planned on co-branding 12 stores with Babes "R" Us stores. On June 29, 2018, Toys "R" Us shut down all of its remaining US locations.

RESPAWN RESPAWN is not only an international toy, video game retail store. It is also a technology-based experiential store.

Lazarus leads Interstate Stores out of bankruptcy, changes name to Toys“R”Us, Inc. and begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

1978 Charles Lazarus opens his first baby furniture store, Children’s Bargain Town, in Washington, D.C.

1948 To meet customer demand, Lazarus begins selling toys.

1966

Lazarus sells chain to Interstate Stores for $7.5 million, but continues to run Toys“R”Us.

1950

By the end of 2025, there will be over fifty stores open to the public.

2025

Toys“R”Us, Inc. forms a joint venture with Li & Fung Retailing for the Toys“R”Us business in Southeast Asia and Greater China, acquiring a majority stake in its previously licensed business.

The first RESPAWN store opened in San Francisco, CA in May 2019.

2019

2013

Antonio Urcelay appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Toys“R”Us, Inc.

2011

2018 On June 29, 2018, Toys "R" Us shut down all of its remaining US locations.

Toy "R" Us changed its name into R e s p a w n i n 2 0 1 8 a n d re b r a n d became an experiential hall and a worldwide trending toy retail store together.

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Tomorrow

RESPAWN showcase the cutting edge technological achievement provide a stage, people experience feelings of various interactions and unique charm of the latest technology. We sell the toy from all around the world at the same time. Customers can try the toys which are trending not only in us, also worldwide.

Brand keywords

Futuristic I am a step ahead of everyone else. I believe in innovation and creation. I want the best results and achieve the unthinkable. Let’s aim for the impossible and turn it into a possible future.

Highly Interactive I am here and I am responsive to every decision you make.

If I am a video game,my interaction feels you’ve been impressed into another world.

Eye-Opening I am unexpected. Your eyes will widen up with amazement.

I will surprise the guts out of you. It’s a roller coaster ride keeping you on the edge of the seat. Get ready to experience the thrill and excitement that you can get no where else.

Technology I am everywhere. I am your morning alarm and your evening entertainment. Detachment isn’t possible. I am upgrading, innovating and transforming everyday.

I am faster, easier and entertaining.

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Brand Soul

You wish to kick back and relax after a long exhausting day.

Transcend into another world for a while and just melt-out off your fitted clothes. Since our everyday is so mundane and routine-like, we all wish to feel young, free and imagine another dimension that holds adventure, excites us, and creates wonder. RESPAWN is the place where that need is satisfied. The feeling to escape for a while and just exist in a space that is nothing like reality but someplace better.

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Yesterday’s Personality

Toys "R" Us had a very jovial way of presenting itself. Their identity was a giraffe mascot, that was trusted upon to pump up their sales. A very primitive style of marketing combined with a limited demographic as their target audience lead to a 'sinking ship' like situation. It was a typical toys store that maybe kids were attracted to but not teens or young adults.

Traditional toys were what they usually took pride in and invested close to nothing when compared to technology. As online shopping got popular the company faced its reality.

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Today’s Personality

RESPAWN is a highly interactive Artificial Intelligence robot latest technology. It is very outgoing, and enjoy sharin cool technology with everyone. Respawn knows about the information of the latest video games, the tech innovation in the different field, and the trending toys in different countries all around the world. He has a touch screen face so that people can communicate with him easily.

Customers

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Samantha Jackson 24 Years Old Student Masters in Psychology Currently lives in Japan Only girl in a house of four boys Raised in Ohio Samantha is a mixed raced woman aspiring to be a child psychologist, and she likes to travel and is currently living in Tokyo. She is paying her bills by teaching English.

Samantha likes to explore the world but also loves sitting at home and reading her manga. Her favorite pass time is to play with her wee, that her father gifted her on her 18th birthday. She likes to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life, and occasionally enjoys being a potato couch. She holds no shame and embraces her well deserved lazy evenings.

"I’m half Irish and half Japanese, I love Irish coffee and sushi is life."

"I love traveling but I take my WEE, everywhere I go."

"Being the only girl in the house made a tuff nut. I don’t cry, I make others cry."

"If I were stuck alone in an island, I would wish for an Grand Theft Auto V game.

I just can’t get enough of it."

Josh Peck 16 Years Old High School Student Lives in Rhode Island Single Plays the Guitar Only Child Divorced Parents Josh is a quiet, obedient student. He wants to major in 3D modeling in UCLA, he likes the warm west coast as compared to where he is right now. He prefers being at home, playing Fortnite and having a pepperoni pizza on his side while he sips on his diet coke. He wants to attend the next VidCon and is currently saving up for the tickets. He has a part-time job as a cashier at a local cafe down his street. He enjoys watching movies on Tuesdays at AMC. "My dad does live with me, but every time he comes to visit we play Fortnite together and it’s great fun."

"I can't wait for Red Dead Redemption 2 to release. I’ve waited too long."

"I hate shopping, my mum bribes me with video games and I get happily convinced."

"My ultimate vacation would be sitting on a waterbed in a penthouse with unlimited room service and a huge screen in front of me as I’m plugged in playing my counter strike."

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Carlos Yi 20 Years Old In a relationship BA in Game Design Lego Fan Lives in Georgia Wants to move to San Francisco Middle Child Carlos Yi is biracial, he is half Irish and half Chinese. He is a gamer since the age of ten. His parents worked at the post office and he spent a lot of time indoor. He made good friends online though various gaming sites. He is a creative guy, and likes to paint in his free time. He wishes to live in San Francisco, as he enjoys to be in a diverse city. He is also a LEGO lover. Most of his conceptual brainstorming is done while he plays LEGO. He likes to be in spaces where he has a chance to interact with people who share similar tastes. Hence, he loves going to gaming conventions.

"I like going to LEGO shops when I visit different countries. There is always something unique and new trending."

"I enjoy different cultures; there is so much content outside of U.S. I wish to explore all of it one day. " "I wish to order products from other countries was made easier online. There always some glitch that I face when I try to get something that isn’t typically available on Amazon. "

Marcus Butler 32 years old Coder BA in Software Engineering Recently married Fan of Apple products Lives in San Jose Only child Marcus Butler works at Tula Technology, he has recently moved to San Jose with his wife. His schedule is hectic and his nights are usually more alone because his wife usually has night shifts to cover as a medical resident. After dinner he likes to escape for a while and dive into the world of tech creativity. He owns a air of oculus and enjoys to transcend into another surrounding. He also loves to play video games and usually tracks what is trending and when. He follow a bunch of communities on Reddit, where he collects all the latest information on what to buy.

"I like waiting for my wife, she has long hours of work and I like to occupy myself while I wait."

"Our neighbors have two teen sons, they usually come over and we play together.

I always missed having a sibling, so the company feels homely."

"My wife and play FIFA 19 on the weekends, she’s the best!"

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Market Analysis

RESPAWN is for the out of the box thinkers, entertainment upgraded and accessible worldwide. A station that allows it’s audience to demand a trending game in one country while sitting in another. It’s a company that has a wide demographic, that is not gendered based and ranges from the preteen level to someone married and a parent of two. It’s for every game enthusiast who wishes to have an experience that is memorable and far away from the mundane reality.

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Current Competitors

Our current competitors in the toy selling industry are Target, Walmart, Amazon and Game Stop. Starting with GameStop, it is a retail store that focuses on trending video games. The various of video games give consumer multiple choice.

Next being Amazon, the largest Internet retailer in the world, it has a large customer base and holds an advantage on price and variety. The convenience of online shopping has really pumped up it’s revenue. Target, Walmart are the ones that sell it quick and cheap. Hence, attrac a loyal audience who don’t specifically crave for quality experience.

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Adjacent Competitors

SFMOMA and Exploratorium prove that people are willing to invest time and money for a good experience. Unfamiliarity is exciting and thrilling which creates noise and popularity.

Unlike usual retail stores, SFMOMA and Exploratorium are experiential spaces which have small gift shops which specialize in selling creative and quality products.

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Aspirational Competitors

The Microsoft Experiential and Disney stores are the two successful examples of a space that has a combination of the experiential and retail . Each of them have the specific target group. The store caters to teenagers and adults.

Disney store used it’s recognizable characters to market themselves on an international platform. Created products, games and theme parks based off of the characters of their animated films. Hence, currently holding a position as market leaders, who clearly know what they are doing right.

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Strengths

Toys "R" Us already has a long history, but RESPAWN is totally new. It was the first toy store that got an international standing. It has an audience that knows the brand and is aware of its existence. The price range will be reasonable. Which attracts the audience who wish to have quality and affordability hand in hand. RESPAWN has a unique plan of wanting to create a space for all the trending games from all around the world. So, with regard to innovation and promising a variety of products that range internationally, the company is approaching a whole new way to solve a customer problem.

When compared to the Disney store, the products that RESPAWN will promise will be a range that is international and trending. The products will largely be for tech lovers, who believe in investing in the digital era.

As for it’s main competitor Amazon, RESPAWN will be online and onsite. The company’s focus is to provide experiential satisfaction, create a place for people to come and shop and also get as many test runs before they make their purchase.

The goal is to have the customer walk out confident after their purchase.

S

Supply chain disruption.

May lose our old customers by diverting our resource to a new project.

W

O

High operating costs.

Lack of capitial (Start up from loans and invastors).

Lack of experience.

Slow development of underlying technology.

Technology on rise.

Imporving economy.

Technology trigger new market and service.

T

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YOUR WORLD. YOUR CHOICE.

Visual Development Guide The Old The New Sketches Chosen Logo Similar Logos Digital Drafts Word Mark Finalization

The Old

Toys "R" Us is a cartoon giraffe who always has the smiley face. It has playful elements in her heart. She has a colorful and funny tone. She sometimes does some trick on kids.

But kids love her because they want something fun.

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The New

In 2018, Toys "R" Us has changed its name to RESPAWN. The store will be upgraded to an experiential space and will have toys that are trending worldwide.

The first RESPAWN store will open in San Francisco in May 2019. To improve brand awareness, there will be cobranding projects with SpaceX, LEGO, SFMOMA, etc. By the end of 2025, there will be over fifty stores open to the public.

Sketches

RESPAWN is all about technology and gaming. The initial logos sketched were with the idea of creating a new button. The visuals of a controller for gaming was considered and keeping that in mind the first potential logo came into placement.

The next that caught attention was the robotic element.

RESPAWN believes in ideation and has a futuristic approach.

Brainstorming about the future lead to a very robotic looking logo. To show the tech-savvy aspect of the brand.

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Chosen Logo

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RESPAWN is new, cool and futuristic. To visually portray these elements, a simplistic approach was integral. The 'button' logo was not considered as the brand stands strong for the gaming industry but offers much more than just video games. The logo was designed in a manner that wouldn't limit the capabilities of the brand. It is futuristic but it isn't only about robots. Thus, the one selected represents the brand holistically.

Similar Logos

The brands that may have a potential resemblance are NASA and ISUZU. The use of the type is very simplistic and has a futuristic look to it. As RESPAWN has similar elements, there is comparison bound to happen.

Brands like Airbnb and SEGA hold visual similarities. But when compared closely the use of bright colors shows a very optimistic and jovial tone for the two brands. Which helps RESPAWN to stand on its own as a unique logo and brand.

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Digital Drafts

There was a series of experimentation in creating the final draft. The use of gradients and various colors were playing around with. To have a futuristic look, it was important that the logo had a simplistic feel. Hence, elimination of the color and using a basic black was taken into consideration.

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Word Mark Construction

The size, the style, and the shape are the considerations of our wordmark.

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Finalization

'RESPAWN' is a character in a video game that reappears after having been killed.

The rebranding process was initialized due to the fall of Toys "R" Us. The name holds an integral part of the brand’s identity. And using the initial letter "R" helped emphasis on that aspect. Toys "R" Us was a widely recognized company. Hence, it was equally important to have an element of the earlier brand. The link would be the use of the letter "R." The "R" that respects its past and is transforming continuously in the present to keep up with the future. RESPAWN represents the future. An adaptive and innovative enthusiast who you wish to be associated with. A platform created for unique experiences that will excite the mundane in you.

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THE OTHERWORLDLY EXPERIENCE, AWAITS YOU.

Visual Standards Guide Mark System Do/Don’ts Typefaces Color Palette Voice Photo Style Advertising Visual Extension Things to do Business Expansion

Mark System

Inline Signature

By placing the logo and the word mark together, they create a rule of completeness. These rules create balance, impose a minimum size, use of color, and design style that suits RESPAWN. The alignment of the shape and the word, are the standards that must be followed by all.

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Vertical Signature

The triangle in the letter "R" needs to be in the same angle at all times.

The proportions and position should not be trifled with.

Clear Space

To show logo consistency, the following clear space has been concluded.

The ratio of the clear space is the x/y counter of RESPAWN’s logotype.

The inverted triangle in the letter "R" is used to depict the clear space as well. When using the logo, RESPAWN has to follow the ratio of clear space, at all time.

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Always abide by the rules of clear space when using the logo. The finalized clear space ensures the clarity in logo placement and avoids other visual elements to interfere with the logo.

Do/Don’ts

The following is a guideline on how to use and not use the logo in terms of spacing, position, color, size, and ratio.

Changing of the length of each line and the color of the word and logo mark is not allowed.

Correct

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Incorrect

Correct

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Incorrect

Typeface

Roboto

Entertainment Reimagined.

Roboto Regular

The unreal made real.

Roboto Italic

The unreal made real.

Roboto Bold

The unreal made real.

12pt

30pt

Nunito Sans

Entertainment Reimagined.

Nunito Sans Regular

The unreal made real.

Nunito Sans Italic

The unreal made real.

Nunito Sans Bold

The unreal made real.

12pt

30pt

Color Palette

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PMS: 426C CMYK: 60/ 40/ 40/ 100 RGB: 48/ 47/ 47

PMS: 1945C CMYK: 42/ 100/ 80/ 7 RGB: 156/ 31/ 53

PMS: 000C CMYK: 0/ 0/ 0/ 0 RGB: 255/ 255/ 255

PMS: 2726C CMYK: 100/ 90/ 10/ 0 RGB: 13/ 51/ 135

PMS: Cool Gray 4C CMYK: 18/ 14/ 13/ 0 RGB: 215/ 214/ 215

PMS: 2725C CMYK: 62/ 56/ 4/ 0 RGB: 118/ 118/ 182

Voice

The running water while brushing your teeth, the ticking of the clock, the engine starting sound, all remind you of how mundane and repetitive your life can get. Your hard work needs to pay off somewhere. You deserve your "me time".

The otherworldly like place awaits you.

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Photo Style

A specific palette of colors that have an "otherworldly" feel has been selected. Each picture taken has a feel or look relevant to the brand's identity. Futuristic, eye-opening and technology are the words used to identify the visuals.

There is a constant use of the secondary colors, red, blue, and violet to evoke the feeling of experiential.

Advertising

RESPAWN is here to excite everyone’s usual and routinelike life. It is a platform that transforms an ordinary person into a protagonist who has the control and can lead his/her journey. It believes in shaking things up a little, through the use of technology. Entertainment that is sustainable and experiential is what RESPAWN is all about.

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Visual Extension

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respawn.com 800.869.7787 respawnservice@gmail.com 1500 E Main St Newark, OH 43055

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1500 E Main St Newark, OH 43055

respawn.com 800.869.7787 respawnservice@gmail.com 1500 E Main St Newark, OH 43055

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RESPAWN WILL EXCITE THE MUNDANE IN YOU.

Business Expansion

RESPAWN's Special Event A futuristic space is created for the ones who ache for a unique experience. An Experiential Event that reflects RESPAWN’s personality and products. An opportunity for people to be a part of a cult, have fun with the products and socialize through the common interests they share.

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Membership To reward RESPAWN’s loyal customers, a VIP card has been launched. It is a membership card that avails customers with perks and an early notice to all the new releases of RESPAWN’s product.

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AI Robot "Robot Van" is a vanguard of Artificial Intelligence. When technology makes a conscious effort to become more relatable he is called Robot Van. RESPAWN’s biggest and strongest product is here. He is your buddy in disguise, an entertainer, an educator, and a facilitator. Technology with emotions. He is your real life WALL-E. At last, your animation is brought to reality.

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Copyright 2019 Sijie Lu, Jiayu Pang, and Anushka Prakash Kandachia All content for RESPAWN Brand Guidelines was conceived, designed, and produced by Sijie Lu, Jiayu Pang, and Anushka Prakash Kandachia. Research and strategy by Jiayu Pang, art direction and design by Sijie Lu, writing and editing supplemented by Anushka Prakash Kandachia. Photography provided by Linna Wang, and Zhanghua Tang.

Design Consultation Roger Muller ADV 370 Brand and Branding Academy of Art University Some of the photographs and images were downloaded from 123RF, Shutterstock, and are used in accordance with the Creative Commons License. This book is a non-commercial work produced as a student project for educational purposes, and as such is considered a derivative work under the Fair Use Clause of the US Copyright Law. Manufactured in the United States of America.