What it is
The Negotiated Apology Project is a conflict resolution practice. The studio's site lists it in its portfolio and describes it as conflict resolution training and consultation. The practice came with a working talk, a 32-slide PowerPoint first created in December 2021, and an earlier logo.
The guidelines carry the credit "A Lip Loi Creative Design" on the front and back covers. No partner or other firm is named in the files.
What Khounlavong did
- Opened the client's original deck on December 31, 2024. The first brand guidelines file is dated January 1, 2025. Version 2 is dated January 2, 2025 and runs 14 pages.
- Wrote the vision: "to create a better world where accountability and kindness transform every conflict into connection."
- Wrote the strategy as two routes: connect through speaking engagements, and scale through digital.
- Defined four audiences: individuals seeking to grow and heal, leaders and mentors, teams and groups, and "dreamers and change makers".
- Set the whole identity in lowercase in one typeface family, Aloevera Display, in thin, regular and bold weights. The stated reason: "the all-lowercase typeface reflects the humility essential for a genuine apology."
- Redrew the logo as an evolution of the earlier one. The mix of thin and bold letters stands for "the contrasting perspectives often present during an apology". The tight letter spacing "embodies the act of reconciliation".
- Chose a palette of five purples with one bright yellow. Purple was chosen as the balance between "fiery reds and calming blues". Yellow was chosen for optimism and renewal.
- Delivered the logo in three lockups, each in nine color versions.
- Rebuilt the talk as a 35-page branded presentation, dated April 2, 2025. A PowerPoint version is dated April 9, 2025.
An icon set in four file formats sits with the deliverables. Its source file was made on February 15, 2025. It was produced separately from the guidelines.
Where it stands
- The guidelines, the logo files and the presentation are complete, and the studio's site shows the project in its portfolio.
- The brand system was delivered for the client to take to market.
- No result is documented, and none is claimed.
At a glance
| Project type | Brand guidelines, logo and presentation design |
|---|---|
| Industry | Conflict resolution training and speaking |
| Seat | Principal, Brand, Product and Merchandising |
| Ran through | Common Ground |
| Dates | December 2024 to April 2025 |
| Related pages | Jimmy Khounlavong, Common Ground |
| Principal | Jimmy Khounlavong |