BRAUN BÜFFEL - LEBEN

The character was developed using a modular design approach, allowing different components to be iterated and recombined efficiently.

Key principles included:

Organic Form Language
Horn variations followed a consistent logic, using rounded forms and seamless integration with the head to maintain a cohesive silhouette.

‍Adaptability Across Mediums
The design was created to translate across multiple formats, including animation, retail assets, and physical outputs such as pins and 3D installations.

‍Clean Silhouette with Material Contrast
A simplified geometric base was paired with balloon-like material properties, balancing visual clarity with surface complexity.

Visual development focused on refining the material quality and environmental context to support Leben’s core characteristics.

The abstract environments were designed to complement the character’s reflective, balloon-like material, using smooth surfaces, curved forms, and minimal geometry to enhance light interaction and visual clarity.

3D prototyping, and render testing was used to explore how the character interacts with different surfaces, lighting conditions, and spatial compositions.

Iterations focused on achieving a balance between simplicity and material richness, ensuring the environments remain visually engaging while keeping the character as the focal point.

The direction evolved through multiple refinement stages, aligning with brand expectations while maintaining consistency with the overall visual system.

In 2023, Leben was reintroduced as part of Braun Büffel’s first store at Changi Airport, representing the brand’s spirit of travel and global exploration.

The narrative was built around the experience of arriving in new destinations, using a continuous movement structure to guide Leben through a sequence of environments.

A wide-angle visual approach and vibrant colour palette were used to create contrast between gallery spaces and airport environments, enhancing visual impact and spatial scale.

The layout was designed as a looping journey across key global cities, with transitions anchored by product-focused environments.

Character refinement:
The character was further streamlined to improve clarity, consistency, and feasibility for physical production, including adaptation for in-store 3D installations.

For the 2024 Christmas campaign, Leben was placed within a series of festive environments, including winter landscapes and interior retail spaces.

The visual direction explored a more expressive tone, incorporating colour-shifting and psychedelic patterns to enhance the sense of magic and immersion within the brand world.

The campaign also introduced a secondary character, expanding the narrative while maintaining consistency within the visual system.

Existing brand assets, such as a previously developed Christmas tree design, were re-integrated to ensure continuity across campaigns.

Across multiple campaigns, Leben functioned as a scalable visual system rather than a static design.

The character maintained a consistent identity while adapting to different environments, narratives, and levels of abstraction.

This approach ensured long-term usability across retail, digital, and campaign contexts, reinforcing brand recognition while allowing creative flexibility.

A unified visual system that extends across campaigns, environments, and formats, supporting Braun Büffel’s brand identity through a flexible and recognisable character.