Kubona is one of Nigeria’s leading branded leather shoe manufacturers based in Lagos, Nigeria. The company started out with the name The Bag Shop, a retail destination for all things bags; briefcases, handbags, suitcases, etc.

The Bag Shop evolved into a retail store for luxury shoes which made the name ‘The Bag Shop’ redundant hence the need for a rebranding exercise that took a critical look at the business as it is today.

Part of the outcomes of our initial brand audit session recommended a change of name and a decision to pick a new brand name that was not limited to shoes or any fashion vertical, giving room for growth and new market entry.

NAMING

Following an intense period of research and hundreds of options presented, the Name Kubona was selected and adopted by the management of the business.

Linguistically, the name Kubona has a Bantu origin and is used both in Xhosa (South Africa) and Kinyarwanda (Rwanda) and usage/context varies. Loosely translated as ‘to sight’ or ‘be sighted’, and speaks of a very strong, competent, and ambitious personality.

BRAND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT

The Brand Book