Young King × Black Panther
Empowering the next generation of kings through hero-driven grooming.
Creative Direction
Branding
Design
When Chadwick Boseman’s legacy and the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever phenomenon inspired an entire generation, the team at Young King knew they needed to answer the call.We partnered with Marvel to curate a limited-edition collection of grooming products infused with African essential oils — baobab and marula among them — and designed for young men and boys to feel strength, hydration and regal confidence.At Artoholiks, I (as Creative Director) worked with the client and Art Director to navigate Marvel’s brand guidelines, align with Young King’s ethos, and transform the product line into a full retail-ready branding system for major stores nationwide.
Scope and Roles
Brand Identity, Content Strategy, Campaign Development, Photo & Video Production, Publication Design
5+
Years
100%
Satisfaction
My Crew:
Senior Designer
Project Manager
Art Director
Stakeholders:
Founder
Marketing Manager
Branding Assets
Problem:
The grooming market for young men of color had been underserved — textured hair, natural ingredient preferences, culturally relevant branding all demanded serious attention.
Young King Hair Care
The partnership with Marvel introduced strict brand controls and high expectations — Young King needed to merge its identity with the cinematic weight of Black Panther without losing community authenticity.
For Young King, the goal was to scale retail distribution (Target, Walmart, etc.) while preserving the brand’s purpose-driven voice and premium positioning.
Solution:
We developed a bold visual system: limited-edition packaging, hero imagery tied to Wakandan motifs, and clear communication of premium ingredients (baobab, marula) and benefits (strength, hydration).
We managed all aspects of the roll-out: from aligning with Marvel’s brand guidelines, coordinating product formulation details, to designing retail-ready assets for shelf visibility and premium positioning.
We kept Young King’s voice intact — the narrative centered on young men and boys of color being “royally crafted,” confident, expressive and unapologetic.
Our creative approach treated this not just as a product launch but as a storytelling moment — where culture, legacy and grooming intersected.
Packaging
Impact & Results:
- The collection launched to widespread acknowledgment: the line was featured by industry and culture publications, noting the collaboration between Young King and Marvel.
- The partnership elevated Young King’s brand credibility — aligning with Marvel gave visibility and cultural relevance, strengthening its position in the grooming category for young men of color.
- Young King expanded its retail distribution and visibility through major retailers (which we prepared the brand and packaging for) — further validating our role as a full-scale brand partner.
- The campaign helped shift perception: grooming for young men of color moved from niche to mainstream premium — providing representation, culturally-relevant messaging, and high-quality formulation in one package.
- For me and Artoholiks, this project reinforced our ability to operate at the intersection of culture, film-brand partnerships and retail design — proving we’re more than design vendors, we are brand builders.
Photography
