Symbol
High Tide• Date added
• Date added
Symbol is a furniture brand that specialises in handcrafted custom audio furniture, modern record player stands, and vinyl storage cabinets in the tradition of fine furniture.
New York-based creative agency High Tide partnered with the Symbol team to create an identity as timeless as their products, with the belief that beautiful furniture holds lasting emotional value – not only in the present, but for generations to come.
Client
Symbol
Year
2022
Creative Director
Danny Miller
Design Director
Kristina Bartosova
Strategist
Mariah Wright
Typefaces in Use
Symbol is a furniture brand that specialises in handcrafted custom audio furniture, modern record player stands, and vinyl storage cabinets in the tradition of fine furniture.
New York-based creative agency High Tide partnered with the Symbol team to create an identity as timeless as their products, with the belief that beautiful furniture holds lasting emotional value – not only in the present, but for generations to come.
Symbol creates beautiful and functional furniture at the intersection of sound and design. Driven by their passion for design and roots in music, Symbol's time had come to challenge a market full of disposable furniture – shifting how we connect with and value the pieces in our homes. The company was originally founded by Blake Tovin, who has been designing furniture for renowned brands such as West Elm and Design Within Reach for over 20 years. His son Walker joined the family business to help with creative and marketing, and reached out to High Tide for this project.
High Tide was tasked with helping Symbol transform from an audiophile brand into an iconic household furniture brand. The agency was able to distil the beloved elements of Symbol's audiophile roots and evolve the brand story to support its broader offerings. They introduced the brand purpose of "Design You Feel", emphasising the emotional value of great furniture design. The rebranding process involved bringing out the character of the brand and highlighting its strengths. High Tide worked to bring warmth, depth, and personality into the brand, ensuring that it was a true representation of itself. Additionally, they aimed to keep the brand rooted in music while expanding into other types of furniture.
"From the moment we met the client – seeing the Symbol headquarters, how they make the furniture and their approach to design – everything felt very personal and intimate, and that's what we wanted the branding to reflect."
The furniture pieces from Symbol are inspired by classic mid-century and Scandinavian furniture design, but with a modern take. In the creation of the brand's identity, High Tide took visual cues from the 50s, 60s and 70s, but added modern elements to ensure the brand stands on its own and transcends across decades. Music was another key source of inspiration; the eclectic world of music provides a different range of influences, styles, and tonalities. The brand's furniture is designed to provide generational value, serving as heirloom pieces to be passed down – and the identity was crafted with this in mind. The goal was not to create a retro identity, but to take these references as inspiration and make them work in a new, contemporary way.
"The brand's furniture is designed to provide generational value, serving as heirloom pieces to be passed down – and the identity was crafted with this in mind. The goal was not to create a retro identity, but to take these references as inspiration and make them work in a new, contemporary way."
High Tide
High Tide is a multi-sector, multidisciplinary creative agency from New York. Specialising in all things branding, the agency blends strategy and creativity to tell stories, grow brands, design experiences, and create meaningful work.
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