HORWIN
FUTURISTIC ELECTRIC BIKE BRAND
What if…
electric bikes became philosophical vehicles for urban freedom and environmental change?
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HORWIN needed to shift its brand from being just another electric bike company to a visionary brand that represents a future-facing, ethical, and innovative lifestyle. The primary challenge was to differentiate itself in the increasingly crowded electric vehicle market while positioning itself as a cultural leader in sustainability and future mobility.
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The electric vehicle market was saturated with brands promising environmental sustainability but often framed within dystopian, tech-dominant futures. Consumers were craving more than just eco-friendly products—they wanted brands with a positive vision for the future, blending cutting-edge technology with ethical responsibility. This presented the opportunity to build HORWIN’s brand around optimism and societal progress.
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We repositioned HORWIN as a brand that stood at the intersection of ethics, innovation, and utopian vision. Instead of just focusing on the product, we created a brand belief system that painted their electric bikes as symbols of a future where technology aids human progression rather than drives division or destruction. The branding emphasized optimism, drawing on philosophical and cultural trends to distinguish the brand from competitors stuck in dystopian narratives.
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Brand Identity: Created a Vaporwave-inspired aesthetic that merged retro-futurism with the ethical grounding of modern sustainability. This gave HORWIN a unique, visually striking identity.
2. Content Strategy: Designed content rooted in future-forward storytelling, utilizing Transhumanist philosophy to create a narrative that centered on technological innovation as a force for human empowerment.
3. Digital Activations: Launched a series of digital campaigns, including Spotify playlists, that fused music and storytelling to bring the brand’s futuristic ethos to life.
4. Collaboration: Engaged with thought-leaders and influencers within the sustainability and tech spaces to expand HORWIN’s brand reach.
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The project didn’t just rebrand HORWIN—it reimagined the role of electric mobility in society. HORWIN’s new identity wasn’t just about cleaner transportation; it positioned the company as a thought leader in the conversation about the future of technology, ethics, and society. The use of Vaporwave aesthetics, combined with the brand’s optimistic, philosophical narrative, represented a major leap in how electric vehicle companies could approach their storytelling.
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HORWIN’s rebranding capitalized on a broader cultural desire for optimistic, human-centered technological progress. In a world where many tech innovations are viewed with suspicion or fear, HORWIN’s positioning as a positive, ethical leader in the space made it a refreshing alternative. The company became part of a broader movement towards decentralized, sustainable futures where technology serves humanity, rather than alienates it.
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HORWIN
FUTURISTIC ELECTRIC BIKE BRAND
QUICK RUN DOWN:
Branding for the Future of Mobility
Created a innovative brand strategy and compelling brand narrative for HORWIN’s electric bikes. Positioned the company as a leader in sustainable mobility, emphasizing innovation and market leadership.
THE DETAILS:
some companies follow trends. some set trends.
horwin?
HORWIN designs the future that all trends flow from.
RESULTS
A full rebrand and comprehensive social, campaign, and comms overhaul.
Condensed into a brand book that feels like Salvador Dali sculpted a baby out of Vaporwave clay and raised it on TRON-laced milk.
// BRAND STRATEGY
// CREATIVE DIRECTION
// BRAND STORYTELLING
// BRAND MESSAGING
// IDENTITY DESIGN
// SOCIAL STRATEGY
// CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT
// CULTURAL INSIGHTS
// INTERIOR CONSULTING
"we need a cultural and spiritual transformation...”
"we need a cultural and spiritual transformation...”
"and we don't know how to do that.”
"and we don't know how to do that.”
— James Gustave Speth
(USA’s Official Climate Change Advisor)
HORWIN came to ME with 3 problems:
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So much science-fiction is dystopian, apocalyptic, fatalistic, pessimistic, and wrapped up in a cloak of disconnection, fear, and the horror of the unknown.
That is not the HORWIN vision.
HORWIN sees technological progress as a force for good, to build a world of optimism, hope, care, and connection with the world.
But how can this be done?
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HORWIN was entering the US market filled with very well-established brands, making ‘breaking into’ this territory and carving out a market share unlikely.
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HORWIN loves technology. But they kept asking themselves: why do all our technological advancements still leave us as deeply flawed human beings with a one-way ticket to self-destruction?
MY APPROACH & SOLUTIONS
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Design a new way of seeing the world. Sometimes building on what has come before is not the answer.
It’s slow, tired, and withered.
Sometimes the world requires an entirely new story to tell itself.
It’s rapid, revolutionary, and re-enlightening.
The answer is not to add layers to the status quo, but to craft a new lens, a new way of perceiving and understanding the world.
The answer is to craft the HORWIN lens. Where it’s no longer about going from A to B.
It’s about building a belief system that allows humanity to go from A to ❇.
That is, building a whole new ‘truth’ and way of seeing and being.
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HORWIN does not sell innovative motorbikes.
HORWIN must take this a step further.
Go beyond expectations.
Skip the “innovation” talk – go straight for a future no one imagined. Be the difference.
Unlike competitors, HORWIN’s aims aren’t related to motorbike evolution, but human revolution.
A new mode of travel, of being, of living, of presenting yourself.
Define a new category and create a NEW market entirely for themselves. No competition.
Changing the future by creating a new path. A better path.
In this sense, HORWIN wouldn’t be “reinventing the wheel”, but they would be “reimagining the future”.
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From Day 0, HORWIN must integrate Ethics into the foundations of this new vision, market, and world.
Humanity has not reinvented its ethical beliefs for 1,000s of years. The majority of the world still follows moral codes influenced by the Judeo-Christian belief system.
What if this ethical system is no longer compatible with the state of the world nor the coming state of highly-integrated technological progress?
HORWIN must be the harbinger of this new ethical system, positioning its actions and products as continuously benefitting the ‘new’ social good, a social good driven by the positive, utopian power residing in technology.
If we invent new things, we need to invent new ethics.
“My illustrious Queen. Whenever I ponder over the tokens of the past that have been preserved in writing, I am forced to the very same conclusion. Language has always been the consort of empire, and forever shall remain its mate. Together they come into being, together they grow and flower, and together they decline.”
“My illustrious Queen. Whenever I ponder over the tokens of the past that have been preserved in writing, I am forced to the very same conclusion. Language has always been the consort of empire, and forever shall remain its mate. Together they come into being, together they grow and flower, and together they decline.”
— Elio Antonio de Nebrija
The Brand Story
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Time whispers of an enchanting journey, not bound by compass orconstellations, but cradled by the rhythm of an uncharted melody - the Nightingale's.
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This melody pulses within the heart of HORWIN, a beacon guiding us, the architects, to sculpt this symphony, this saga of a new epoch.
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In the annals of history, a tale is inscribed. Columbus, with his sails set for Asia, found himself on the unfamiliar shores of an unanticipated land.
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Misjudging the vast expanse of the world, he imagined the song of the nightingale, a bird alien to this new world.
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In this tale, we see our reflection - a mirror to humanity's underestimation of its potential to harmonize with technology, to coexist sustainably.
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As the nightingale's song resonated in Columbus's mind, we too hear a melody.
A symphony not from a bird, but from the heart of progress, from the dance of technology and humanity intertwined in a sustainable future.
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It echoes within us, inspiring our voyage, guiding us to craft a harmonious existence, onethat humanity has yet to fully comprehend.
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Parallel to this journey, a lesson echoes from the past. Elio Antonio de Nebrija, while Columbus ventured the seas, presented Queen Isabella with the transformative tool of grammar, setting a course for an empire's evolution.
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In Nebrija's footsteps, we tread, armed not with the tool of language, but with the power of dreams and narratives, the magic of possibilities.
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We, at HORWIN, are more than creators of advanced vehicles.
We are artists shaping tomorrow, weaving narratives that ilIuminate the path towards a sustainable coexistence.
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We envision and craft this harmonious existence, echoing the melody of the nightingale throughout our journey.
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As the tale of Columbus sets our prologue, and the wisdom of Nebrija illuminates our chapters, we delve into the narrative of a harmonious and mobile future.
Every verse, every note, reverberates with the song of the Nightingale, resonating within the grand architecture of our new epoch.
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We are HORWIN - crafting not just innovative vehicles, but an enduring symphony of a new, unbounded, and mobile culture.
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A culture that elevates human potential, transcends limitations, and allows us to explore infinite realms of existence.
“I SPENT 4 HOURS DIGESTING THIS HORWIN DECK YESTERDAY. JACK’S WORK IS THE BEST THING I’VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH FOR FIVE YEARS.
JACK IS INDESCRIBABLY AMAZING.”
— MARK ADAMS
CEO & CO-FOUNDER OF HONEY VENTURES (Collaboration partner)
MAPPING MESSAGES TO CULTURE
I believe that culture shapes everything.
The founders of HORWIN saw this too, being greatly inspired by the film Lucy (2014).
Films are cultural touchpoints that reflect society in heightened, exaggerated, ‘ideal’ ways.
Which is why mapping HORWIN’s core values to iconic films is the best way of forming a solid and coherent ways of internally and externally communicating ideas.
THE CREATIVE DIRECTION
HORWIN now had the vision. They needed a visual identity that matched that category-defining ambition.
I developed 3 separate directions - each of which would have set them apart.
For them, The Vaporwave Vision was too damn appealing to pass up.
DEEPER THEMES
I believe in the power of philosophically-driven branding. Brands must go deeper if they want to shape the world.
HORWIN’s rebranding was deeply influenced by several strands of philosophical thought, including Nietzsche, Kant, and Transhumanism.
Here’s a quick peek:
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Immanuel Kant, the 18th-Century German philosopher, argued for Transcendental Idealism.
This states that space and time are pure forms of human intuition created by humanity's own mind.
They do not exist "outside" of us, but control how we see and interpret the world.
So time and space are "empirically real", but transcendentally ideal.
Thus, humanity should join HORWIN in embracing the transcendentally ideal and bend it in ways that benefit the social good.
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‘Reality’ is not something absolute that human beings can ever know once and for all it exists only in relations.
As soon as we perceive or try to understand it, it is not 'in itself' anymore, but 'reality for us.
By entering into a particular relation with reality, reality is 'revealed' in a specific way.
And this is where technology comes in, since technology is the way of revealing that characterises our time.
Technology embodies a specific way of revealing the world, a revealing in which humans take power over reality.
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Transhumanism is a movement that supports the use of technology to enhance the human condition, including increasing intellectual capacities, physical abilities, and lifespan.
A key thinker is Ray Kurzweil, whose work often combines technological optimism with a hopeful view of the future.
His books like "The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology" explore how technology will help humanity transcend its current limitations.
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
BUILDING THE BRAND WORLD
BEYOND THE FAçADE OF BRANDING
ADDITIONAL CAMPAIGN IDEA DEVELOPMENT
// THE HORWIN MOVIE
Creating an all-encompassing brand world for HORWIN starts with leveraging storytelling in its most potent form.
We proposed a paradigm-shifting strategy: use the power of a film to change how people perceive the brand and their ability to shape the future.
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ONE
The film opens in stark black and white, reminiscent of the early days of cinema, but with a modern twist. The screen flickers to life like a Zoetrope, drawing the audience into the story.
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TWO
Our backdrop is an innovative fusion of various aesthetics. The canvas of our narrative paints the starkness of Westworld's powerfu posters, the expressive neon vibrancy of Vaporwave, and the dreamy serenity of floating pink blossoms in Angelcore.
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THREE
A singular aesthetic punctuates the film's visual identity a nod to the Fallout New Vegas character Benny, a distinctive black and white blazer worn by a key character, a symbolic merger of the past and the future. This piece serves as a connection between eras, embodying the idea of "the future that should have been."
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FOUR
The spirit of Old Polish sci-fi film posters weaves its way through our visual tapestry. Their surreal, colorful, and avant-garde styles bring a distinctive, otherworldly touch to our world, nodding to Tarkovsky's immersive and ethereal aesthetic.
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FIVE
Neon signs flash across the screen, each one a promise of what the future was supposed to hold. "They lied to you about what the future would be like," one sign declares. Another counters with, "You were promised a better future." These signs serve as a poignant reminder of past expectations and broken promises, but also a beacon of hope for a better tomorrow.
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SIX
The renaissance theme comes alive, akin to the powerful shifts in human perspective and innovation during that era. Bold banners proclaim, "The Renaissance changed the state of life," signaling a similar, imminent shift in our narrative. This theme underscores our dedication to sparking a new era of technological enlightenment and sustainable living.
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SEVEN
Throughout the film, we subtly integrate HORWIN's products, demonstrating their harmonious existence within this retro-futuristic world. They become artifacts of a brighter future, blending traditional aesthetics with advanced technology, marrying the past with the future.
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EIGHT
The film's final act blossoms into full, vibrant color, signifying the dawn of the future HORWIN envisions a future where technology, sustainability, and humanity coexist seamlessly.
// VIRTUAL INFLUENCER CREATION
We then proposed the creation of a virtual AI influencer tied to the movie.
This AI character can interact with audiences, serving as the film's director and the guide to our Utopian future.
With this innovative move, we aimed to create an immersive experience, inviting people not just to observe our brand world, but truly to inhabit it.
// PERSONAL BRANDING, IMAGE CONSULTING, & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
The aesthetics of the film can translate into personal branding for HORWIN's C-Suite executives, defining their image as pioneers of the future.
For example, we proposed that executives can adopt elements from the film's style. For instance, a distinctive black and white blazer could become part of their wardrobe, a symbol of their role as connectors of the past and the future.
When it comes to thought leadership, we recommended executives incorporate the film's narratives into their speeches and presentations. Referencing storylines and characters would create powerful metaphors for their missions and objectives.
SONIC IDENTITY
The SoundTrack to the [R]evolution
Brands need a sonic identity just as much as a visual one.
To truly experience the HORWIN brand world we built, listen to this Spotify Playlist I curated.
These songs, some of which have an electronic or synth vibe to align with the vaporwave aesthetic, all share a theme of change, evolution, and a brighter future.
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"RESONANCE" by HOME
This popular Vaporwave track serves as an ethereal, electronic backdrop to HORWIN's brand world.
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"MIDNIGHT CITY" By M83
This track's synth-heavy sound and forward-pushing momentum captures the feeling of urban nightlife and the restless energy of innovation.
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"HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER" by Daft Punk
An iconic electronic track that speaks to continual improvement and evolution.
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"TECHNOLOGIC" BY DAFT PUNK
This track embodies the integration of technology in everyday life, a core part of HORWIN's brand message.
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"Breathe" by Télépopmusik
A soothing electronic track that embodies the calm, reliable, and sustainable future HORWIN aims to create.
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"ELECTRIC FEEL" BY MGMT
A psychedelic synth-pop track that encapsulates the electric, dynamic nature of HORWIN's brand.
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“On Melancholy Hill" by Gorillaz
A song that combines modern electronic sounds with a sense of nostalgia and longing for a better world.
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"Shelter" by Porter Robinson & Madeon
An upbeat, electronic song about protection and safety, aligning with HORWIN's mission of creating a secure, sustainable future.
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"Starboy" by The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk
The song's themes of reinvention and self-improvement align with HORWIN's brand philosophy.
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"Digital Love" by Daft Punk
A blend of electronic and pop, this track symbolizes the harmonious fusion of technology and human emotion, which HORWIN strives for.
After our work, HORWIN continued to utilise sound as a core part of the user experience, integrating it into their new website.
“The HORWIN SLIDES ARE THE MOST STUNNING THING WE HAVE EVER PRODUCED.
YOU BLOW MY MIND.”
— CO-FOUNDER OF HONEY VENTURES (Collaboration partner)