Sugar Lake Lodge Brand Design

Sugar Lake Lodge is a family-owned lakeside resort in northern Minnesota, established in 1994. Renowned for its crystal-clear waters, scenic golf course, and exceptional amenities, it offers guests an authentic Northwoods retreat.

Overview

In 2023, I was asked to develop a revised brand identity for Sugar Lake Lodge, a lodge in northern Minnesota dedicated to providing a family-friendly resort experience. Sugar Lake Lodge’s previous branding was outdated and hadn’t been revised since their founding in 1994. The new branding needed to fit with a ‘northern aesthetic’ while also capturing the modern and family-focused vision for the lodge set forth by the new General Manager.
View Brand Development

Team

Kelly Cahoon, Lead Designer
Parker Dellis, Designer

Skills

Branding
Typography
Design Systems

The Branding Process

The process for this branding project began with a client intake. During this intake we asked questions surrounding what the client did and didn’t like about their current brand, what they hoped the new brand would capture, and how they envisioned their business in the coming years.

With this background, I moved into my own process of competitor research, inspiration gathering, and offline sketching. Once I significantly narrowed down my initial sketched concepts I began to revise them digitally.

The Orginal Brand

Previous Logo
#14757F
#4A9198
#653A15
#B45B27
Previous Brand Colors
Previous Website

Ideation

Final Curated Brand Inspiration
Logo Concepts Shared With Client

Outcome

1994

Now

New Brand Assets

Logo Inspiration

#49715E
#699E85
#223A2E
#EBE4CF
#FFFFFF
#E1572E

New Brand Pattern

16 Sugar Lake Lodge brand icons that were sourced and modified or custom created to fit the brand aesthetic.

Iconography System Development

As part of the rebrand, the client requested a new icon set to use in printed materials and on social media. These icons I developed support the overall brand voice and all relate to common services and themes of the business.

Iconography System Development

As part of the rebrand, the client requested a new icon set to use in printed materials and on social media. These icons I developed support the overall brand voice and all relate to common services and themes of the business.

Mug Development

A coffee mug developed for the gift shop and created to display potential brand applications.

Sticker Development

Gift shop stickers based on newly developed icons. Created to display potential brand applications.

Associated Work

PMAX Campaign: Leisure

Campaign Details

Leisure Campaign
Posted: PMAX Ads
Campaign Notes
Background:
This client offers two distinct lines of business: a traditional leisure experience for guests vacationing at the resort, and a corporate-focused offering designed for leadership retreats or fully customized company offsites during the offseason. These programs allow organizations to develop emerging leaders or utilize the venue for tailored retreat experiences.

Notes:
The objective of the PMAX ads was to build brand awareness among potential summertime guests, leveraging the resort’s newly refreshed branding to introduce the destination and differentiate it within the local leisure travel market.
Design: Kelly Cahoon
Content Strategy: Kevin Withers

PMAX Campaign: Corporate Retreats

Campaign Details

Corporate Retreat Campaign
Posted: PMAX Ads
Campaign Notes
Background:
This client offers two distinct lines of business: a traditional leisure experience for guests vacationing at the resort, and a corporate-focused offering designed for leadership retreats or fully customized company offsites during the offseason. These programs allow organizations to develop emerging leaders or utilize the venue for tailored retreat experiences.

Notes:
The objective of the PMAX ads here was to build local awareness among Minnesota Businesses. Leveraging the resort’s newly refreshed branding, we introduced the destination and it's unique offerings for corporate retreats.
Design: Kelly Cahoon
Content Strategy: Kevin Withers

Results

From the Client:

“We knew we were on the right track when Viden nailed the logo, and it has just gotten better from there.”
-Fred Bobich, Owner / Founder
“I had been wanting to update colors and logos for a while but just never fell in love with anything. The existing brand was used for almost 30 years, and I really wanted something that I’d love for years to come. Viden presented a half dozen color palettes and 10 logos and I loved all of them.”
-Abby Oxborough, General Manager