Based in São Paulo, Gut Design is the global design studio of the Gut network and the Onda album campaign marks the studio’s first project for the entertainment industry.

Known for its advertising and communications output as a full-service agency, the design wing was established last year and is seen as part of Gut’s expansion into working across entertainment, music and content.

Created in partnership with Lab Fantasma and Rael himself, Onda’s visual campaign centres around a bold rendering of the album title (Onda is Portuguese for ‘wave’) in heavy type, alongside bright gradients of colour and a series of portraits of the artist.

According to Gut Design, the artwork aims to translate the positive, life-affirming messages of the music and augment the rapper’s own belief in “occupying spaces, embracing identity and harnessing the transformative power of music to uplift communities”.

Rael, the shortened form of Rael da Rima (an alias of Israel Feliciano), launched his solo career in 2012 following four albums with Pentagono.

“Rael’s energy as a person and in his music reverberates and connects immediately,” says Murilo Melo, global head of design at Gut Design. “This was the starting point for the design, also guided by the theme of the album: onda [‘wave’]. The idea of musical and emotional reverberation was visually translated into a living, fluid and constantly moving language.”

Credits:
Agency: Gut Design
Global Head of Design: Murilo Melo
Design Director: André Vervloet (Firulo)
Design: Raul Lima, Yan Esteves, Marcus Prado, Gabriela Barreira, Matheus Franzoni
Copywriting: Felipe Farah, Arthur Zambone, Matheus Sanches
Motion Design: Marcus Prado, Sabrina Rachid
3D: André Vervloet (Firulo)
Logo Typography: Raul Lima