Creative agency M — N Associates has developed the brand identity for The Rampant Club, a private members’ club in Ho Chi Minh City, which the agency describes as being “for those devoted to whisky and everything worth gathering around it.”
The agency’s scope covered naming, the brand design system, custom typography, digital experience, photography direction, applications, and guidelines.
Concept
The identity draws on Scotland’s whisky heritage, with its visual language built around symbols and motifs associated with that tradition. A wheel-cut diamond pattern, abstracted from the faceted surface of a whisky glass, runs throughout the identity as a unifying device.
“For this narrative, we immersed ourselves in Scotland’s rich whisky heritage, translating its symbols into a contemporary visual language,” said M — N Associates.
“Woven throughout the identity are Scotland’s most enduring symbols, from the Lion Rampant of the Royal Banner of Scotland and the nation’s enduring thistle, to Highland dress, tartan and heraldic motifs.”
Rampant Mark
At the center of the identity is the Lion Rampant from Scotland’s Royal Banner, retaining its distinctive outstretched stance while introducing details drawn from whisky and Scottish culture.
According to the agency, the mane echoes the form of the Great Highland bagpipes, while adjustments to the ornamental tail and triangular details adapt elements of the original Duncan Taylor Whisky mark, creating a connection between the club and the whisky house from which it was born. The agency notes: “There is luxury in knowing what to leave untouched.”
Wordmark
The identity includes a trio of wordmarks. The primary wordmark uses a Gothic-inspired sans serif with an upright posture, while tightened spacing references the club’s discreet private entrance.
The letter “A” replaces its conventional crossbar with a diamond detail drawn from the wider identity. An abbreviated “T.R.C.” provides a shorthand for the club name, while a handwritten wordmark introduces a less formal element across the club’s activities and social touchpoints.
“The font’s final touch lies in its full support for Vietnamese diacritics, lending the old soul of Scottish whisky a new nuance shaped by Vietnam’s cultural rhythm,” said the agency.
Custom Type and Layout
The Rampant Mark’s forms and signature diamond detail extend into a custom typeface, Rampant Sans. Elements of the Lion Rampant figure, including the curved sweep of its tail, the rounded ends of its limbs, and shapes within its body, were abstracted into the letterforms.
The agency said digital layout takes cues from old Scottish newspapers, using spacing and whitespace as measured elements across the composition. Generous margins and structured proportions translate elements of print design into the digital setting and are intended to encourage a slower pace of navigation.
The club’s website applies the editorial system across its presentation of activities, spaces, and membership enquiries.
Illustration
An illustration series extends the identity across club pursuits including golf, tennis, art, dining, and shared activities. The illustrations depict the Lion Rampant in a warmer and more playful style, with orange accents and recurring diamond geometry connecting the series to the wider identity.
Across social media, the illustrations are used alongside Rampant Sans and the wordmark system for content around club gatherings and activities.
All images provided by M — N Associates.
Credits
Client: The Rampant Club
Branding firm: M — N Associates
Executive Creative Director: Duy — N
Project Manager: M — Lan
Associates Creative Director: Bảo Trương
Designers: Thái-Tú Nguyễn, Khánh Trần, Phương-Anh Nguyễn, Đức-Thuận Lê, Uyển-Nhi Nguyễn, Văn-Tú Nguyễn
Main Illustrator: Amanda Moeller
Digital Designer: Phương Lưu, Hà-Chi Lê
Junior Project Manager: Hồng-Chi Phan
Copywriters: Ly Nguyễn, Tân Nguyễn, Thảo-Vy Nguyễn
Printing Producers: Hồng-Chi Phan, Thanh-Vy Lê
Typography under Type Associates
Type Design: Bảo Trương, Duy — N
Portfolio Photography: Khôi Nguyễn
Portfolio Producers: Bảo Trương, Khánh Trần, Thái-Tú Nguyễn, Phương-Anh Nguyễn, Hồng-Chi Phan, Thảo-Vy Nguyễn
