Rebranding the Horse Coaching Program
We were involved in the rebranding of a horse experience program offered by COAS Ltd. at a farm in Sapporo. In this project, team members participated on-site in the horse-coached reflection and behavioral change program, known as “horse coaching” prior to the rebranding. The program was delivered in the form of a bootcamp with physical and psychological aspects. The project covered structuring the program for future business development, setting the visual tone and delivery style, creating a brand naming statement, and developing a service website.
Collaboration Through the Senses, Not Just the Mind
In this project, four team members stayed at the ranch, participating in a four-day training camp, experiencing the program firsthand, and soaking up the local atmosphere while devising the brand concept.
In addition to defining the value of the services and brand offerings rationally and intellectually, the brief period spent living with COAS team members and horses allowed deep engagement with the sensory values and textures of the ranch environment and the horses’ presence.
Following the four-day camp, the structure of the COAS program was developed through a series of workshop-style discussions, and a brand naming statement was created. The visual tone and delivery style of the brand were established, and the content of the service website was designed.
The non-verbal experiences gained at the camp became a common language, expediting the project and encouraging collaboration between team members having different positions and roles in the subsequent process.
Verbal Design to Rediscover the Core of the Program
In addition to horse coaching, which is currently offered as a core program, the idea was to develop secondary programs on subjects such as aroma and forestry. To make this possible, we organized the overall structure of COAS’s programs and explored the major concepts that would form an umbrella idea for them.
As a result, it was decided that the core of the program would not be coaching, which gives the impression of a unilateral approach to teaching, but rather dialogue—with oneself and others—through aspects such as equestrian activities.
Based on this core concept, we developed the Nature Dialogue Program and the naming of the secondary programs: Horselogue, Artlogue, Aromalogue, and Forestlogue. Additionally, an emotional statement was created to convey these perspectives.
Visuals and Site Design That Genuinely Convey the Brand’s Philosophy
Based on the core concept defined through the camp, a policy was formulated for visually communicating the brand’s philosophy. Four creative keywords were established—quiet strength, margins, roots, and sincerity—incorporating elements that are important when in dialogue with oneself and nature. We pressed ahead with specific examples of reflection during photography and web creation so that collaborators who’d never been to the ranch could share what they sensed and work together.
By echoing these guidelines in the various creative outputs, the aim was to convey the atmosphere of the ranch by going beyond merely providing information.
Project Information
- Client: COAS
- Expertise: Brand
- Year: 2024
Project Team
- Project Direction: Kotaro Watanabe
- Verbal Design: Kotaro WatanabeYoshifumi Yanai
- Web Draft Design & Information Architect: Yuki Takai
- Brand Creative Concept & Web Design Management: Suika Yamada
- Web Design & Development: Shunsuke Kudo (Collaborator)
- Photography: Takafumi Matsumura (Collaborator)
- Instructors: Motoko KobinataAmii AbeHermèsArcherJoy (COAS members)