Saddleback Leather Branding

Saddleback Leather’s primary character lies in its simple ruggedness.  Everything about both the Brand Identity as well as the resulting Brand Image as defined by Lalaounis in chapter three, exudes these qualities.  Their original logo was an image of Dave’s (the founder’s) dog Blue with a sombrero and “Saddleback Leather” in a scripted font, stamped into the leather below or next to it.  Currently, their logo is an image of an actual leather tag in tan color with stitching and the words Saddleback Leather Co. in typed letters stamped into it.  The font is simple, in all caps., and the first letter of each word set at a larger font.  The “S” for Saddleback and the “L” for Leather are slightly overlayed top to bottom and there are three heavy duty rivets with stitching running between.  Like their products, the look is simple, clean, accessible in design and clear in meaning.  The idea of using an actual image of their own physical leather label as their print and online logo is actually quite ingenious. There is simply no question with respect to what it is they do. 

Amongst the twelve Archetypes that Stephen Houraghan calls out via his Brand Master Academy video, I would say the closest is that of the Explorer. As stated above, the characteristics of ruggedness and utility align with the ideals of travel and adventure which is also directly related to the Saddleback brand story.  We’ll talk more about that later, but for now, suffice it to say that in nearly every aspect of the brand’s visual and advertising presence, there is some expression of exotic travel and their product’s rightful place by your side (or on you back as the case may be) during such adventures.  One example of this would be their website’s home page.  The background, behind the logo and heading, is an old-style, parchment map showing mountains and longitude/latitude lines, etc.  Their products are designed to go anywhere in the world with you and serve you well for as long as you choose to keep them!

Saddleback Leather is primarily a designer and manufacturer of the highest quality leather bags one can buy.  They also sell other miscellaneous leather products but at their roots, their heart and soul, lies in their bags.  Be it a briefcase, a backpack, a duffle bag or a suitcase, all of their designs are made with the same essential design philosophy; indestructibility.  They want their projects – and therefore, their company – to evoke a sense of heritage… something that will serve one’s progeny.  In fact, their brand mantra, as Alina Wheeler put it in Designing Brand Identity, has a poetic quality to it: “They’ll fight over it when you’re dead!”  As one might look back at an antique pocket watch that once belonged to their great grandfather, so it is that they hope their bags will be thusly cherished for years to come.  This sense of heritage is also evoked in the visual design of their media.  Their website uses simple, classic, almost old western themed fonts and “colorscapes”.  There is a sense of antiquity with which they wish to be associated.    

 Dave Munson, the founder and president of Saddleback Leather, tells of his inspiration to start designing full grain, durable leather bags as having been born out of an experience of his own while living in Central America.  He was working for a charity organization and found himself constantly in need of purchasing new bags to replace ones he might have only recently bought because they were not standing up to the kind of heavy-duty usage and mileage that was being demanded of them.  In his effort to find a longer-term solution, he discovered the idea of full-grain (as opposed to genuine for example) leather.  This cut of the material maintained the entire natural thickness of the cow’s multi-layered skin.  Left complete, the strength of the material was significantly stronger that thinner cuts.  He then worked on designing pockets and enclosers that would be functional yet secure, sans breakable parts… i.e., no zippers!!  Dave’s goal was to create a bag that could hold up to any kind of usage – gentle or abusive – he could throw at it.  Realizing he might not be alone in his desire of a better, stronger, more capable bag, he turned his attention to selling his idea.  And so it was that Saddleback leather was born.  

The company’s visual identity embodies the elements that Dave himself was trying to put into the construction of his bags.  It’s simple, straight forward, rugged in function but clean in form.  The fonts, images and characters all serve the adventurer’s archetype and help to support the Brand Story.  

The best way to discuss the emotion connected to the various elements of the Saddleback brand is to describe my own as it relates to my discovery and experience as an owner, user and enthusiast of SB Leather.  As I mentioned in my previous posting, I first learned of S.B. Leather while traveling in an elevator in Moscow, Russia, with my wife and infant son.  It was a special trip that I look back on fondly and therefore, my memory of the first impressions of the bag I found myself staring at as it hung from the shoulder of the businessman in front of me are equally vivid.  After a brief discussion with the owner of the bag, I went to my computer and started to look into the company.  I can still remember the enthusiasm with which I debated which style, design and color I wanted to get… for there was not question of “if” I was going to get one.  Since that day, I have taken my – now several – S.B. Leather bags with me on countless trips alone and with my family.  I love to travel and I love to travel with these bags because they do the job, they do it well and they look good in the process.  To date, my S.B. Leather bags, in one way or another, have accompanied me to five different continents and thirty-seven different countries.  Are the trips better because of the bags or are the bags better because of the trips?  I don’t know, but I suppose I don’t really care.  All I know is that I wouldn’t leave home without one of my S.B. bags.  So, if loyalty is an emotion, then that’s what I connect to the identity, story and personality of Saddleback Leather.