A new era for a legacy brand

A new ode to an original. Kalevala definitely needed to make a move into contemporary territory, but we wanted to keep its historical connection.

Our rebrand began with a name change. From Kalevala Jewelry to just Kalevala, simplifying its identity, leveraging cultural heritage, and positioning it for broader market appeal. This also helped us to merge another brand – Lapponia – a legacy brand also owned by our client, into the main brand.

Building a brand that makes a promise. At the heart of the project was the platform we created – VALA, which means ‘oath’ in Finnish. The gift of sustainable jewelry is an oath or a promise between people.

This can be seen in the brand images that feature the relationships we humans have with each other. Vala also means celebrating the freedom to be who you want to be – a promise to ourselves.

Connecting the modern, the natural and the mythical. We brought together the past and present by ensuring the nature of the north was at the heart of the brand. After all, Kalevala features a lot of vintage, nature-inspired designs.

But we wanted to push beyond the simple trope of nature into a new place that’s magical and ethereal - uniquely ownable territory for our client. The designs can be seen across creative touchpoints, from packaging to marketing.

Bringing the forest to the city. The modern and simple store interiors are also inspired by Finnish nature with its pine forests, lichen and lakes.

Real wooden logs are used for product displays. Cabinet fronts have a metallic ripple effect to simulate lake water. The floors are soft with a mossy texture. This, combined with indirect lights and soft curtains along the back wall that dampen sound, creates a calming and pleasant space where customers want to stay a little longer.

Ownable letters for strong brand recall. We created original typography based on the new logotype for the brand.

The strong calligraphic and characteristic letters leave no question of the brand behind the messages. We wanted the typography to be so recognizable that the logo could be left out of execution and it would still be unmistakably Kalevala. This typography is one of the new brand’s strongest links to tradition – it brings confidence to messages. The original editions of the Finnish national epic – Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot, used a similar character set and inspired emblems in old Kalevala jewelry.

Strengthening the emotional bond between a brand and its audience. Bond also created a launch campaign designed to do more than generate awareness.

We wanted to ensure the renewed brand reentered the world in a meaningful and emotional way, by building on the oath concept – VALA. It became an invitation for Kalevala fans and influencers to share personal stories about their meaningful relationships with the hashtag #minunvala – #myoath in Finnish.