Brand Purist • Branding projects • YR x SpongeBob

Fashion co-branding and retail design for Krusty Pants customisation

Overview

YR Store collaborated with Nickelodeon on a SpongeBob SquarePants campaign at Topman, Oxford Circus. The partnership transformed YR’s website and in-store custom printing area by introducing an exclusive, skate-inspired Krusty Pants style guide. Customers used YR’s interactive touchscreens to design personalised t-shirts and socks.

We provided YR brand consultancy, design, illustration and photography services to bring the entire project to life. We drew inspiration from SpongeBob’s personality for a bold take that underscores YR’s approach to customisable fashion and on-demand garment printing.

  • YR Store t-shirts with SpongeBob prints featured in a Shoreditch rooftop lookbook.
  • Close-up of YR Store socks featuring Patrick Star artwork.
  • Back view of 'Yellow is the color of happiness' t-shirt in YR Store x SpongeBob lookbook.
  • Close-up of YR Store socks with 'Stay Pretty' SpongeBob artwork.
  • Close-up shot of 'Mind like a sponge' artwork on YR Store t-shirt.
  • Lifestyle shot of YR Store t-shirts with 'Mind like a sponge' and SpongeBob spatula artwork on a rooftop in Shoreditch.

“We’ve never seen SpongeBob or Patrick like this before. It is an indication of how iconic SpongeBob is that he can be translated into such a style, while still retaining his core identity. YR Store are the perfect partner for the style guide as the designs match their iconoclastic take on fashion and the fashion-forward attitudes of their customers.”

Portrait of Marianne James, VP, consumer products at Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products
Marianne James
VP, consumer products at Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products

“SpongeBob is iconic and to have access to this exciting new style guide is incredible; we know that the limited edition Krusty Pants line will be a hit. The technology and process that we use means that fans can design a full-on garment without having to compromise on colour, design or quality, which is essential when using a style guide this bright and detailed.”

Portrait of Tim Williams, CEO, Co-Founder of YR Store
Tim Williams
CEO, Co-Founder of YR Store
Close-up of YR Store counter vinyl wrap with Patrick Star and SpongeBob logo.

Brand consulting

As YR’s branding partner, we have protected the brand’s identity from the start. The SpongeBob collaboration allowed us to push the visual identity beyond its usual limits. Through this project, we helped demonstrate YR’s flexibility to accommodate a wide range of partnerships, further elevating its brand recognition with the help of design.

Co-branding

Nickelodeon gave us full creative freedom with their limited edition artworks to create a co-branded campaign identity. We captured SpongeBob’s dynamic nature by applying the style guide’s colours and illustrations to YR’s design assets.

Logo lockup

From the very beginning, we designed the YR logo to have maximum versatility, ensuring that it would pair synergistically with other brand symbols. We adapted the YR mark to match the SpongeBob logo style, achieving a unified and memorable look.

Logo lockup of YR Store and SpongeBob for brand collaboration.
Illustration

The YR logo was reimagined, inspired by Nickelodeon’s exclusive character artworks. Our team incorporated features of characters like Patrick Star and SpongeBob SquarePants into the YR mark, aligning it with the skate-inspired style guide.

YR logo in SpongeBob skateboard-style Krusty Pants illustration. Drippy version of the YR logo mark recreated in skateboard style KrustyPants illustration treatment. Krabby Patty version of the YR logo mark recreated in skateboard style KrustyPants illustration treatment. Patrick Star version of the YR logo mark recreated in skateboard style KrustyPants illustration treatment.
Store design

Already established at Topman’s Oxford Circus location, we re-energised YR Store’s design-and-print area by infusing it with SpongeBob’s lively attitude.

To seamlessly integrate the characters into the existing YR Store counter graphics and touchscreens, we expanded on the illustrations supplied by Nickelodeon. The vibrant visuals helped enhance the retail space and attract customers.

  • YR Store’s Topman area showing SpongeBob Krusty Pants co-branding.
  • Candy machine-like t-shirt dispenser and display decorated with YR x Spongebob t-shirts and co-branded vinyls.
  • Close-up photo of counter vinyls emphasising the integration of previous YR Store design combined with new SpongeBob themed art.
Interface and animations

We applied the style guide to in-store animations and user interfaces to bridge the gap between the digital and physical space.

  • Close-up photo of the touch screens in-store at Topman showing the integration of screen savers and surrounding retail graphics on foamex.
  • Screen being part of the installation is showing animation to promote the YR Store and SpongeBob KrustyPants collaboration.
  • Customer designing their all-over print t-shirt at YR Store using vibrant, skateboard style SpongeBob graphics.
Web design

The campaign was also supported by a full make-over of YR Store’s website. We applied a striking yellow-black palette and an illustrated logo to the web shop. A range of pre-designed t-shirts and socks were available to purchase online.

YR Store’s website home page during their collaboration with SpongeBob. YR Store web shop with SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star t-shirts.
  • Socks on display with YR Store x SpongeBob artwork and hang tags at Topman.
  • Flyers merging the styles of SpongeBob and YR Store designed for the collaboration.
Project reel

A short video showcased YR’s customisation and printing process, illustrating how customers could design their t-shirts in-store and watch them being printed.

Product photography

We handled photography and retouching for the online product catalogue, ensuring the vivid print colours were faithfully reproduced. A white-painted brick backdrop helped the products stand out.

  • Product photo showing the back of the YR Store x SpongeBob t-shirt with 'Mind like a sponge' artwork. Side view of the YR Store x SpongeBob t-shirt with 'Mind like a sponge' artwork on its back.
  • Side view product photo of the YR Store x SpongeBob t-shirt with all-over logo pattern. Front view product photo of the YR Store x SpongeBob t-shirt with all-over YR and SB logo pattern.
  • Product shot of t-shirt with repeating SpongeBob logo. Back view of YR Store SpongeBob t-shirt with 'Yellow is the color of happiness' design.
  • Back view of t-shirt with skateboard style SpongeBob SquarePants character art. Front view of the t-shirt with skateboard style eyeball artwork pattern.
  • Front view of t-shirt with all-over print pattern created with Patrick Star and SpongeBob logo. Side view product shot of t-shirt with all-over print Patrick Star and spatula pattern.
Lookbook photography

For the lookbook, we selected a rooftop near YR Store’s offices in Shoreditch (London) for its stark, urban backdrop, which accentuated the t-shirt designs and captured the essence of the YR x SpongeBob collaboration.

  • Lifestyle shot of 'Yellow is the color of happiness' and Patrick Star t-shirt on the rooftop.
  • Lifestyle shot of YR Store t-shirt with Patrick Star artwork.
  • Close-up of printed YR Store x SpongeBob socks with skateboard style eyeball graphics.
  • Lifestyle shot of t-shirt with SpongeBob logo pattern.
  • Close-up of the Krabby Patty artwork on YR Store socks.
  • YR Store x SpongeBob t-shirts featured in Shoreditch rooftop fashion lookbook.

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