ILYA:
COME AND PLAY.
OVERVIEW
ilya is a sex toy shop for the curious and adventurous. A topic often reserved for hushed conversations and shameful secrets is met with positivity at ilya. The store itself is a playroom meant for discovery and exploration, a safe space to stroke your curiosity. The brand aims to promote sexual health and intimacy, helping people feel more comfortable about exploring their sexuality.
Given the stigma associated with sex in a conservative country like the Philippines, branding ilya was a welcome challenge. We saw an opportunity for the brand to become a beacon and advocate for sex positivity—to spread good vibrations.
WHAT WE DID
Brand Identity
Brand Strategy
Environment Design
Copywriting
PROJECT TEAM
Creative Direction: Deane Miguel & Kookie Santos
Lead Strategy: Deane Miguel
Lead Design: Kookie Santos
It was important for us to make sure sex was seen through a different lens, a healthier perspective. To do that, ilya needed to be positioned as something trustworthy and approachable. We combatted shame and stigma with wit and humor. It's a brand that was made to be cheeky and playful; always tasteful, never lewd.
With this in mind, we developed a visual language that removed ilya from the stigma that surrounded sexual pleasure. A friendly typeface, fun colors, and pun-filled references, among other brand touchpoints, made all the difference. From the cute and quirky icons down to the clever (and slightly naughty) copy, we made sure ilya was swallowable for the pleasure-curious.
Ilya's logo was deliberately made for discussion and interpretation. Is it a penis? Is it a vagina? Is it a cute little bunny? We'll leave it up to you.
We clearly enjoyed making puns for this project.
We made it our objective to move away from the dark and alienating look of most adult toy stores: both online and offline. The shop’s interiors are by Studio Mara.
“If you’ve been on their website (don’t worry, your secret’s safe with us), you might think that it’s not even a sex shop at all. The bright pastel colors and cute bunny-looking logo (it might actually be something else, but never mind) remove any stigma of shame placed on sex toys and makes them things you want to own because they’re actually really cute.”
— YOUNG STAR PHILIPPINES
“If you’ve been on their website (don’t worry, your secret’s safe with us), you might think that it’s not even a sex shop at all. The bright pastel colors and cute bunny-looking logo (it might actually be something else, but never mind) remove any stigma of shame placed on sex toys and makes them things you want to own because they’re actually really cute.”
— YOUNG STAR PHILIPPINES
“If you’ve been on their website (don’t worry, your secret’s safe with us), you might think that it’s not even a sex shop at all. The bright pastel colors and cute bunny-looking logo (it might actually be something else, but never mind) remove any stigma of shame placed on sex toys and makes them things you want to own because they’re actually really cute.”
— YOUNG STAR PHILIPPINES
“If you’ve been on their website (don’t worry, your secret’s safe with us), you might think that it’s not even a sex shop at all. The bright pastel colors and cute bunny-looking logo (it might actually be something else, but never mind) remove any stigma of shame placed on sex toys and makes them things you want to own because they’re actually really cute.”
— YOUNG STAR PHILIPPINES
“If you’ve been on their website (don’t worry, your secret’s safe with us), you might think that it’s not even a sex shop at all. The bright pastel colors and cute bunny-looking logo (it might actually be something else, but never mind) remove any stigma of shame placed on sex toys and makes them things you want to own because they’re actually really cute.”
— YOUNG STAR PHILIPPINES
We also developed the website for ilya that exudes the same amount of fun and playfulness as the rest of the brand. The website welcomes you with the words "come and play" in cursive, beckoning you to explore.
We also developed the website for ilya that exudes the same amount of fun and playfulness as the rest of the brand. The website welcomes you with the words "come and play" in cursive, beckoning you to explore.
We also developed the website for ilya that exudes the same amount of fun and playfulness as the rest of the brand. The website welcomes you with the words "come and play" in cursive, beckoning you to explore.
We also developed the website for ilya that exudes the same amount of fun and playfulness as the rest of the brand. The website welcomes you with the words "come and play" in cursive, beckoning you to explore.
We strived to make the perfect balance of wit and humor to help make the topic of sex swallowable. We wanted to deliver a pleasurable experience for our customers.
We strived to make the perfect balance of wit and humor to help make the topic of sex swallowable. We wanted to deliver a pleasurable experience for our customers.
