Black Serum is a high end tattoo shop in SF with an emerging clothing line. I worked with them to shape the brand and define their voice.

1. BLACK SERUM
brand guide

2. Contents
Company Description 3
Mission 4
Vision 5
Values 6
Brand Promise 7
Our Story 8
Our Audience 9
Competitors 10
Brand Architecture 11
Visual Identity 12
Voice & Strategy 13
Digital Insight 16
Social Aggregators 17

3. Company Description
BLKS offers custom tattoo services specializing in black work, line art, dot work and etching style tattoos. Each tattoo is an inspired piece of art.
Black Serum offers custom fine art tattoo services specializing in black work, line art, dot work, and etching style tattoos. In addition to tattoo
services we will be selling apparel and accessories.
Our mission is to take tattooing to the next level, from the artwork to the client’s experience. We want to foster an experience that’s rewarding for
both the client and artist. Each tattoo is a new piece of fine art imagined and created specifically for that client.
Our vision is to create a culture around tattoos as a fine art form. Our quality customer service and design work set us apart from our
competitors. Our artists spend quality time with each client to create a design that reflects their personality and ideas. All equipment and ink are
sourced from reputable suppliers to ensure the safety of our clients and employees. All procedures are performed to the standards set by the
state of California.

4. Mission Statement
Our mission is to take tattooing to the next level, from the artwork to the client’s experience.
We want to foster an experience that’s rewarding for both the client and artist. Each tattoo
is a new piece of fine art imagined and created specifically for that individual.

5. Our Vision
We want to create a culture around tattoos as a fine art form moving away from the traditional “rebel art form”
and towards something more refined.

6. Values
INDIVIDUALITY Our clients have a strong sense of style and identity. We encourage self expression, comfort in one’s own skin.
ART We don’t do work that we’re not inspired by and excited for.
COLLABORATION Each piece is a collaboration between artist and client. The expression isn’t one sided.
CUSTOMER SERVICE The customer’s experience is really important to BLKS. When we tattoo, it’s not about the money. It’s a gift—it’s the
best feeling when someone leaves and they are so stoked. Getting to know someone and making them feel at ease
during their session is just as important as giving them a great tattoo.
Traditional tattoos are well-loved and will always have a place, only now they share the industry with a different group of artists. Tattoos in
general have advanced to an art form that pay tribute to graphic design, CG art, art history, and many fine art media. Art is by definition an
expression according to aesthetic principles. That elevated significance is awarded to it both by the artist and dilettantes.
“Being a part of a subculture rather than the mainstream is part of my lifestyle, and breaking stereotypes is important to me.
It really comes down to humanity, and I like San Francisco for that reason. Everybody’s themselves, there are no barriers.”

7. Brand Promise
THE WORK
We promise inspired, original, personalized art for each client. We spend quality time working with each
client so that the final design is a reflection of who they are and what they want to express.
THE EXPERIENCE
Customer service is a top priority. We create an environment that’s, inviting, interesting, relaxing,
soothing, and inspiring. We’re creating art and the shop reflects that. Our staff is approachable, down
to earth, calm, and relatable. We try to make each client comfortable.

8. Our Story
“Compassionate, empathetic, creates safe and welcoming environment where you can be vulnerable. Shows a certain amount of professionalism
and perfection, relentless about getting things right. Super focused.”
“He is talented and attracts talented people.”
BACKGROUND IN FINE ART
Brücius studied architecture, then fine arts at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. His passion for fine art and art history give him a
unique and informed perspective.
SCULPTOR OF LINES
Brücius is one of the top Tattoo artist in San Francisco. The fine details are everything. “Knowledge in rendering, layout, light/dark, and design
are at the core of my work.”
INSPIRATION
Inspired by nature, taxidermy, scientific illustrations, Brucius says, “I have an obsession with lines, engravings, etchings, and woodcuts. Albrecht
Dürer, Raymond Pettibon, da Vinci, and Egon Schiele are a few of the many artist that I continue to study. Control in the lines is what I focus on
and am proud of, and that contrasts with the freedom in nature. Nature inspires me most.”

9. Our Audience
For some it’s a rite of passage, for others it’s a memorial marking a certain person or time. Tattoos are very personal and often have deep symbolism. Getting
a tattoo can be a pivotal time of moving forward through expression.
Our typical client is,
mature, comfortable in their own skin
educated with an appreciation for artisanal craftsmanship
an individual with a sense of personal style that’s not traditional
usually without tattoos, trusting us with their first tattoo. They are very intentional, have a clear vision of what they want and have
possibly thought about it for years. People come to us because they feel they can trust us with this new and vulnerable experience as it
is a right of passage and a mark in their own history.

10. Our Competitors
INDIRECT
Because tattoos are so personal and permanent people tend to plan for them, creating a separate budget specifically for the
tattoo. Indirect competitors include trendy alternative lifestyle shops and collectives offering products and services that are
creative, personal, and build a client’s sense of identity. Examples of such products/services include hair services, piercing
and body modification services, personal style items, artwork, collectables, and interior design products and services.
DIRECT
BLKS has two main types of direct competitors:
1. Traditional tattoo parlors offering less personalized tattoos at a lower price point. Although their lower prices and
more casual ‘walk in’ style parlors make them easier to approach, they generally do not attract the same audience
as BLKS.
2. High end tattoo parlors with reputable artists similar to our own founding artist. These competitors are more of a
threat as they offer similar services and target our audience. Examples include: Sang Bleu and MXM (London, UK
) 2 Spirit Tattoo (San Francisco, CA), Shamrock Social Club (Los Angeles, CA), Lisa Orth (Los Angeles, CA), and
East River Tattoo (Brooklyn, NY).

11. Brand Architecture
Resident Artists Black Serum has a family of in house tattoo artists, all with their own specialties and clients.
Guest Artists We have guest tattoo artists who visit for 15 days at a time.
Art Gallery The shop will host art exhibitions showcasing interesting artists.
Merchandise We will have merchandise such as clothing and leather goods featuring artwork curated by the owner, Brucius.

12. Visual Identity
Color Palette
Black White Dark Gray Brass Muted Forest Dark Wood

13. Voice & Strategy
We care about each person and piece we work on. We’re thoughtful in how we approach each tattoo and that is reflected in our voice.
The tone should be straightforward, down to earth, thoughtful, and clever when applicable.
We want to be relatable and approachable.
Twitter / Facebook / Instagram
@mxmttt has a good straightforward yet down to earth voice that tells you what the linked image shows. His Twitter and Instagram are
connected.
@alexandergrim has really consistent photo style, think about BLKS overall brand style and how photos can further emphasize it.
Snapchat
Sangbleu is a good basic example. BLKS artists should snap videos/photos of finished tattoos for your ‘story’.
Pinterest
Make sure content links back to your website. Use keywords that target local pinners in addition to the general audience. Consider
group boards for general inspiration images shared among clients and artists.

14. Voice & Strategy
Tumblr
Like with Instagram, keywords/tags are important. Tumblr users want creative inspiration, they want to express their current mood,
content isn’t as time sensitive. Keep this in mind when creating tags. Each image needs to be formatted properly for Tumblr so that
users can find the posts and find you through the posts.
example at: http://bruciustattoo.tumblr.com/post/144949642888/tattoo-by-brücius-for-booking-visit
CAPTIONS: Currently the captions are the same as your Istagram description which is a bunch of hashtags.
Tumblr has a separate place for tags so each image should be captioned with a call to action and
credit to the artist. Something like, “Tattoo by Brücius. For booking visit bruciustattoo.com”
TAGS: Tag everything with detailed description tags, subject of tattoo, location of tattoo, tattoo style,
tattoo size, etc

15. Voice & Strategy
#hashtagstrategy
Each Instagram post should have at least 3 out of these 5 types of hashtags:
1 Branded hashtags
#BRUCIUS #sculptoroflines #FineInk etc. and even things you’re trying to own like #pointalism. The tagline should be unique and should be
something people want to use, something clever. A good example is kit kat with #haveAbreak
2 Location hashtags
#sftattoo #bayareatattoo #sftattooartist etc.
3 Trending hashtags
see if there’s anything trending that relates to the content you want to post. Trends can pass in a matter of minutes but get attention
immediately and show your personality. This includes daily hashtags like:
#MondayBlues #MCM or #ManCrushMonday #ManicMonday #TransformationTuesday #WCW or #WomanCrushWednesday #TBT or
#ThrowbackThursday #FBF or #FlashbackFriday #SaturdaySwag or #SaturdayShenanigans (for shopping) #SS or #SelfieSunday
4 Content hashtags
#blackwork #dotworktattoo #maptattoo #mapillustration #mapart #legtattoo #largetattoo #blackinktattoo
things that describe the content you’re sharing
5 Campaign hashtags
have a visiting artist? doing a series of tee shirts? give it a cool #
track hashtags http://keyhole.co
List of top hashtags, new hashtags, etc. http://top-hashtags.com/instagram/

16. Digital Insight
~22.4% are returning visitors to your website
2:10 minute average visit to website
Audience is mainly in SF (+ surrounding area) and LA
~69% Mac users, ~ 78% iPhone mobile users
*tattoo gallery now has non-tattoo images
Black and blue is a major source of traffic
Tumblr is a surprisingly active channel, Yelp and Facebook are less active than expected.
Website Traffic (March/April 2016)
Most visit directly
30% google
22% BlackandBlue.com
2-4% Facebook (and facebook mobile)
2-3.5% Tumblr
2% Yelp
1% Reddit

17. Social Media Aggregators
Hootsuite: free 30 day trial then $9.99/mo. Includes 10 analytic reports and up to 9 team members
Stacker: Twitter, facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest, 4 accounts for free (each page on facebook is a different account)
Kuku: (free) no instagram, developing analytics for $9.99 plan
Jarvis: (free) twitter, facebook, and soon instagram. No analytics, basically just post scheduler.
MassPlanner: (windows only) Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram