Frontline

Automotive

A highly-successful resto-mod company reviving iconic MGB and MG Roadsters, seamlessly blending classic aesthetics with cutting-edge engineering. Delivering unrivaled performance from meticulously crafted, timeless automobiles.

Services
Branding
Art Direction
Print
Digital
Copywriting
Animation

The Strategy

Nous' extensive background in classic and luxury automotive made us ideally suited to craft Frontline's Brand Strategy. We conducted a series of carefully planned workshops with the senior team, and these were further enriched by the unique opportunity to spend significant time with Frontline's most valued customers. This invaluable insight was made possible through the strong bonds that the founder establishes with clients during the design and construction phases.

The Brand Identity

Contrast served as the central theme for the Frontline Identity. Drawing inspiration from the juxtapositions often associated with restomods – vintage exterior disguising modernised engineering – Nous crafted a visual language that skillfully combined elements of softness and sharpness, muted tones and vibrant hues, as well as delicate subtlety and boldness. Achieving exceptional equilibrium between a classic heraldic shield emblazoned with a contemporary 'F' graphic and a modern serif font proved to be a particularly challenging task.

The Symbol
The Frontline shield serves as an immediately recognizable homage to classic automotive design. Its sinuous contours, combined with a modern, brutalist 'F' graphic, not only provide the Frontline emblem with a contemporary and relevant appearance but also endow it with a distinctive form that can stand independently. This combination of classic and modern is an important visual signifier of the company's core principle. Moreover, it seamlessly complements the accompanying wordmark, which also marries flowing lines with aggressive angles.

Graphic Language

Frontline customers share a profound affection for classic MGs. While we needed to gain an understanding of what made the MG brand so highly regarded, our challenge was to ensure that the Frontline brand resonated with its audience while establishing its distinct identity. Drawing inspiration from the consistently applied oxblood colour of the workshop and the iconic lined grille reminiscent of classic MGs, Nous introduced a bold red accent colour to infuse the colour palette with vibrancy, providing a striking burst of energy when needed. Additionally, we created a pinstripe graphic to highlight the precision and craftsmanship of Frontline.

The Website

The Frontline website consistently embraces the theme of contrast, featuring rich black pages that showcase meticulously illuminated studio imagery set against pristine white backgrounds, hosting on-location reportage photography. Striking typography is employed to impart a powerful emphasis and establish a clear hierarchy for the in-house textual content by Nous. The judicious use of graphics ensures that Frontline products remain the focal point, allowing them to command center stage.

Art Direction

Nous collaborated with our long-standing partner, Alistair Thorpe, to create a series of images for the new LE60 model. To distinguish Frontline's inaugural production model from their existing custom projects, we chose to photograph the vehicle in a dimly lit studio, with a primary focus on capturing intricate details and its distinctive form. This approach enabled us to highlight the subtle enhancements that Frontline introduces to a long-established and widely recognised product.