Kola Goodies, a company built on the dedication and resilience of immigrant women of color, found traditional business playbooks failed to advance their narrative. As a Brand Designer and Strategist, my journey wasn't just about enhancing their brand presence, it was about activating and amplifying a subculture that had been overlooked despite their influence and appeal.
testimonial
“Nathan stands out as a rare breed in the creative industry, effortlessly combining his gifted design skills with an empathetic mindset and a strategic approach. In the ‘purpose’ space, Nathan excels as a smart and strategic creative professional. His insights are incredibly perceptive, and he consistently demonstrates an unwavering passion for leveraging his talents to improve the world.”
—susan gornell
executive creative director
assc. professor at artcenter college of design
former brand design director at pepsico
—susan gornell
executive creative director
assc. professor at artcenter college of design
former brand design director at pepsico
Challenge
Kola Goodies discovery of narrative misalignment prompted a change in strategy to a human-centric approach, shifting from traditional data-driven segments to real people who are part of influential subcultures. So, the task was to celebrate authentic individuality by bridging cultural and business gaps to drive growth.
Insights
Mapping shifts in consumer behavior, identifying the consumption audience, understanding the activation audience, and validating the Design Target led to the core insight: culture guides behavior and people bring culture to life—in business—innovation, value, and growth naturally follow.
Solution
To reflect Kola Goodies' Design Targets—the Third Culture Kids—I developed a strategic framework that amplifies the subculture, inspires aspirational audiences, and furthers adoption by their consumption group. The strategy transcends conventional metrics by 'designing narrow to catch wide,' entrenching the brand into cultures to drive growth.
