Something exciting waits beyond the horizon: Studio Kiln unpacks its brand refresh of Mayda

Mayda, a global creative studio with a focus on the future, takes its name from the phantom island that’s been popping up on North Atlantic maps for centuries. True to its enigmatic namesake, the studio – with a practice spanning advertising, entertainment and tech – is all about charting unexplored territories and entering new and exciting realms. Their refreshed identity, designed by Studio Kiln, emphasises this futuristic and exploratory ethos, with a visual language that centres on the perspective-point of the horizon. As this idea of “exploring beyond the horizon” is so integral to Mayda – and their name, their vision and their process – Studio Kiln ensure this is a focal part of the wordmark, whereby an expanded ‘Y’ in the logo, made using radial lines, represents a dynamic portal to creative possibilities. “After exploring more classic logo formats,” says Co-founder & Creative Director Nathan Smith, “communicating this story through the ‘Y’ in Mayda served as an oddly perfect focal point, placing the story at the very heart of their logo; accentuating the horizon concept (like the classic centre-shot sunset), and creating a tension fit for representing the unusual, futuristic creative powerhouse that Mayda is. It was so wrong that it was right.” Aligning with Mayda’s future focus, the Cornwall-based studio introduces WELTKERN’s Everett and Everett Mono as the brand’s typefaces, complementing and contrasting with the angular cuts of the ‘Y’ while also providing a “contemporary, techy framework.” “This pairing helps Mayda feel grounded while still leaving ample room for the brand to adapt and evolve across touch-points,” says Smith, suggesting that the duo’s versatility allowed them to strike a balance “between minimalism and visual intrigue.”