Ace Melakova
A brand for an independent Poker player- Uni project
Branding, typography, web design, print design, product design
As part of a third year module, I was assigned with a branding project for a conceptual Poker Player. This Poker player was Ace Melakova, a young female Russian who has made a name for herself through success in a number of major world competitions. She has now turned her attention to training other aspiring poker players. Being a young woman, she is a minority in the industry, however she is not afraid to stand out and do things differently. The brief was to develop a unique identity to market her service and herself as a brand.
The brand must reflect Ace’s mission of being a disruptive figure in the world of Poker, by not conforming to the stereotypical design tropes.It must communicate to a younger generation of Poker players between the ages of 18 and 30. It also needs to represent the three core characteristics of successful Poker players: Calculated, focussed and disciplined.
Deliverables:
Logo
Brand identity
Website landing page
Range of branding application examples
My response was a typography based approach, incorporating a strong colour palette and confident messaging. Many new players struggle with remaining composed and focussed in times of pressure. The brand emphasises the importance of a clear mind overpowering anxious thoughts, and finding order in times of chaos.
I used a yellow poker chip as an ongoing symbol throughout the brand, and decided to explore how I’d bring this into the digital space through interactive 3D design for Ace’s website. I modelled the chip and applied the typography in Blender, before building the page in Webflow. https://poker-branding-1.webflow.io.
One of the main challenges was developing an identity that went against the common approaches of Poker related design, whilst still representing the game. I managed to counter this by incorporating different typefaces that reflect the western roots of modern poker, with new and progressive design layouts and colours.
The Poker chip development in Blender. I learned about building 3D models and incorporating textures, giving it a glossy finish.