For over 20 years, Jack White has been a powerhouse in the music industry.
One main reason for his longevity is his ability to reinvent himself through his branding.
There is true value in creating a strong and consistent visual style for your brand, no matter the industry.
Jack White has never taken his public image lightly.
White first found success with his Detroit-based garage-rock duo, The White Stripes, in 1997.
Fresh out of the gate, their brand was unmistakable.
From the beginning, White knew that an iconic public image was an easy way to gain instant recognition and marketability.
The powerful use of red was weaved into every aspect of their image: album covers, posters, music videos, performance stages, outfits, etc.
The color red became synonymous with the band due to their simple, yet eye-catching aesthetic.
After painting the town red for over a decade as a part of The White Stripes, Jack White officially announced the band’s disbandment in 2009.
White had already branched off into several side projects of his own.
Jack White saw the necessity to expand his brand.
He re-envisioned himself as more than just a musician.
Shifting his views from performer to producer (and his hue from red to yellow), White opened this first physical location for his production company, Third Man Records, in Nashville, Tennessee on March 13th, 2009.
Third Man Records draws its inspiration (in color and name) from White’s teenage one-man upholstery business, Third Man Upholstery.
A simple change from red to yellow gave new life and freshness to Jack White’s personal brand, while still remaining true to his visually-striking single-color style.
This new color scheme was integrated into Third Man Records from top to bottom: Bright yellow walls and floors in the store and production plant; A touring yellow record-store-on-wheels; Specialty yellow and black pressed vinyl records; Musical equipment and merchandise for his ever-growing number of devout fans. Yellow was the new red.
Three years after the full-scale launch of Third Man Records, Jack White sought to re-imagine his musical career once again, now as a solo artist.
On April 24th, 2012, Jack White released his first self-produced solo album, Blunderbuss.
This release also coincided with his new solo branding campaign.
Jack White’s rough and raw musicality was now juxtaposed against a sleek, dapper palette of blue tones.
This new, blue brand once again reinvented Jack White’s public image parallel to the reinventing of his musical career.
Photoshoots; Public appearances; Music videos; Stage lighting: All of Jack White’s branding became bathed in brilliant blues.
A man of many colors, Jack White has continually rebranded himself with every upward step in his career.
All out of primary colors, it will be interesting to see what direction (and color) Jack White’s career takes in the years to come.
Jack White is currently on tour promoting his new album, Boarding House Reach, which was released back on March 23rd of this year.
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