Derrick creative agency

PORTFOLIO

A marketplace for watershed moments.

Design
Creative Strategy
Brand Identity
Corporate Identity
Out of Home

PORTFOLIO

A marketplace for watershed moments.

Design
Creative Strategy
Brand Identity
Corporate Identity
Out of Home

WHAT MATTERED

Cape Town is a hotbed of creativity and artisanal skill. We saw the opportunity to create a space that presented local makers with a platform worthy of their work. Set alongside global luxury brands, The Watershed needed to elevate Cape Town’s craft and design community to the same level of credibility and desirability, while delivering a discovery-led experience for visitors.

INSIGHTS

Craft isn’t just bought. It’s discovered. People value what feels unexpected, considered and original. And the more surprising the find, the stronger the connection. In much the same way, local crafters and designers, when given the space, could suddenly realise they’re able to rub shoulders with the biggest brands in the world.
“OUR PASSION FOR LOCAL TALENT AND INNOVATION MEANT THAT THIS WASN’T JUST ABOUT DESIGNING A MARKET. WE WANTED TO CREATE A BRAND THAT WOULD CHANGE PERCEPTIONS, BOTH FOR TRADERS AND VISITORS ALIKE.”

Livio Tronchin, Executive Creative Director, Derrick

REIMAGINING AN OLD WAREHOUSE

We started by imagining the experience this re-invigorated space would offer: a space where visitors could experience their very own “watershed moments”, times when their perspective on craft, design, and innovation would be forever changed. We worked closely with our client and the architects, and conceptually restructured the environment into a double-volume experience: a curated market below and an entrepreneurial hub above. (We also ideated and developed the Workshop 17 brand – the incubator brand above – which was later spun out of The Watershed and sold.)

A NEW NAME AND MEANINGFUL IDENTITY

A moment of change. A shift in perspective. A watershed moment. This became the idea and, from that, came the new name and identity system we created. From logo to wayfinding, we built all the communication elements to reflect this crossing point, guiding visitors through a space where discovery is constant.

LAUNCHING THE DESTINATION

We reintroduced traders to the new space, engaged media and built a campaign ecosystem across social media and consumer platforms, positioning The Watershed as Africa’s new home for craft and design.

CURATED EXPERIENCE DESIGN

The Watershed offered our client, the V&A Waterfront, the ability to carefully curate a mix of makers and products, ensuring every encounter delivers something unexpected.

IMPACT

With The Watershed, we redefined the retail experience for craft and design in Cape Town at a time when that community was often dismissed as just ‘curios’. We created a platform where local brands could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with global names.
Visitors Annually
+ 15 M

PRESS

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