Brand integration with François De Martignac

IDEOLOGIST crafted a series of installations for the French cognac brand François De Martignac, designed to seamlessly integrate into restaurant environments. The project, inspired by the "edge of the world" concept, symbolizes the blending of tradition and modernity. Martignac, distinct for its production outside the Cognac region yet aged near Mont Saint-Michel and Étretat beaches, challenges traditional norms.
The brief was to create a brand integration concept that would resonate with audiences and capture the essence of the brand.
François De Martignac, founded in the early 1960s by master distiller François Martin, is unique in maturing its cognac near the iconic Mont Saint-Michel and Étretat beaches in Normandy, rather than within the eponymous city. This unconventional aging process sets the brand apart.
IDEOLOGIST, known in the professional community for its interdisciplinary approach to art consulting and branding, proposed the concept of the "edge of the world" in both literal and metaphysical senses. This idea, fully endorsed by the Martignac house, centered around the theme of augmented tradition, with Normandy serving as the cohesive thread for three art objects designed to integrate the brand into restaurant spaces.
The first object, "Lifeform," was prototyped using Midjourney. Prompts such as "ocean," "freedom," "future," "naturalness," "art," and "possibilities" generated a plethora of images, from which one fantastical, undefined form was selected and refined by graphic designers and sculptors. Its abstract plasticity invites multiple interpretations—tree roots, underwater coral, flames, or a splash of water frozen in metal. Bringing the AI-generated form to life was challenging, but a dedicated craftsman successfully replicated the complex biomorphic shapes in brass.
The other two installations, crafted from plaster, were inspired by Normandy's landscapes and historical landmarks. The "Edge of the World" installation was inspired by the famous chalk cliffs of Étretat, a symbol of Normandy, viewed unusually from above to reveal the ocean depths.
The third piece pays homage to the Mont Saint-Michel, a symbol of tradition and transformation, reflecting the tides’ daily metamorphosis from part of the mainland to an island.