We pay respect to the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of NSW, and acknowledge their continued connection to their country and culture.
Sweat makes us human. And yet for women, it remains largely taboo. “We’re so embarrassed by it and so mortified by it that we spend $75 billion annually on deodorants and antiperspirants, trying to pretend that we don’t actually sweat, that we don’t smell and that armpit stains are not actually there.”* For too long, women have been sold the story that only men sweat. Women have felt shamed, unworthy or insecure for breaking a sweat. To go hard to the point of dripping? That was reserved for men. Women have felt forgotten, pushed aside and resigned to workouts like pilates or yoga (that are less high-intensity and sweat-inducing), stuck to all female classes or, sadly, skipped the workout entirely. They’ve shied away from an all-in, harder, faster, stronger mentality for the sake of not wanting to misfit the feminine norms. Tom and Will, the founding duo of Swet, said F* that.
After conducting many rounds of research and speaking to hundreds of women, the data this duo uncovered was truly disheartening; “Quite frankly, the more we found, the more horrified we became.” It quickly became obvious that women felt they needed to choose between great hair or a great workout.
And so, the two set out to develop a groundbreaking dry shampoo to change the game for active and ambitious women everywhere.
Swet approached Smack Bang with a challenge; they needed a visual and verbal brand to match their ambition for the product – one that felt brave, bold, personal, and encouraged women pursue performance without holding back.
By focusing on the brand promise with the Swet team, we defined the brand narrative: having a great workout shouldn’t come at the cost of a good hair day. We built a strategy that freed the Swet customer from restraints to transform the way she works out; “with Swet, we’ve got the ‘later’ covered so that you can focus on the now.” Helping women reclaim their sweat sesh became our brand M.O. and through the power of storytelling, we enabled her find the confidence and courage to pursue her potential without apology, everyday.
We made this perspective our creative starting point—orienting and expanding the brand around the power of words and actions. First, we wrote a brand manifesto and built the strategy and the identity from there. We then carried this idea across all touchpoints, bridging the gap between beauty and sports with a product range designed for people who go the extra mile.
Swet is rewriting the script and transforming what it means for women to break a sweat. On a mission to give women the confidence to reclaim their workout, Swet is a revolutionary force redefining the intersection of beauty and athletics for the modern, high-performing woman.
Born from a desire to empower women to embrace their workouts without sacrificing style, Swet stands as a bold advocate for breaking sweat taboos. It’s a brand that challenges norms, celebrating the strength and beauty in every drop of sweat. Swet is not just a product; it’s a movement towards pursuing potential, and the freedom to sweat on one’s own terms.
The brand fonts and logo represent the strength and determination behind the Swet brand. Bold, powerful and impactful, whilst simultaneously bridging the gap between beauty and fitness through the typesetting lockups.
A striking brand pattern celebrates the body’s natural cooling mechanism, using organic shapes to symbolise movement and sweat droplets. The colour palette was equally thoughtful – an energising citrus to signify Swet’s primary product scent, complemented by a forest green that evoked the vigor of the sports field, and a soothing cream to balance the vibrancy.
Typography and imagery were our tools to bridge the worlds of beauty and sports further. We selected typefaces that carried an editorial feel reminiscent of beauty magazines, yet possessed the impact desired by the sports industry. Our art direction for imagery focused on striking a balance between beauty and athleticism, ensuring that Swet’s dual identity was represented in every visual element.
Altogether, the solution not only amplifies the Swet mission; but, more importantly, aims to shift perceptions with the ultimate goal of empowering women to go all in.
By embracing the complexity of Swet’s mission, we’ve created a brand that doesn’t just navigate the space between beauty and athleticism – it owns it. Swet is more than a brand; it’s a movement towards a future where women can pursue performance without holding back. Swet is here trash the taboo so you can sweat your best.
“From our first meeting with Smack Bang, we knew we were in good hands. We would not hesitate to recommend Smack Bang to anyone looking to create or mould a truly unique and refined brand.
Our main concern when handing over any element of our creative strategy or branding is that our vision and goals will not be understood or will be lost in translation. This was not the case with Smack Bang. Not only were they attentive and proficient throughout the entire project, they also played an instrumental role in the refinement and improvement of any existing ideas that we brought to the table. While it may sound like a cliché, we believe that they have truly brought our vision to life.”
Photography
Production