The Brand Building Playbook Behind Apple TV’s Severance

Apple TV's Severance just wrapped its second season with a sensible yet emotionally ungratifying finale last week, and unless you've been completely severed yourself, you've probably seen brands everywhere riding the wave of hype. Honestly, I’ve lost count of how many clever co-branding plays have popped up recently, turning Severance into something much bigger than just a TV show. It’s become a full-blown cultural phenomenon, so much so that I couldn’t resist breaking this down.

In this article, we’re going beyond the buzz to unpack why Severance is hitting such a chord. We’ll explore three specific brand-building elements, Customer Segmentation, Brand Nomenclature, and Logo Design and discuss exactly how your brand can borrow these winning strategies to cut through the noise. Let’s dive in.

Your Brand Needs to Be Severed

If you've clicked into this article and still have no clue what Apple TV's Severance is, honestly, have you been binging HBO's White Lotus instead? Severance is one of the most talked-about shows in the past few weeks, especially after last week's bombshell finale of season 2.

Here's a TLDR: the show centres around a company (some might argue that it is a cult) that surgically separates employees' work memories from their personal lives. Imagine clocking off at the end of the day and not recalling anything that happened at the office. Without spoiling anything, the show brilliantly pokes at questions of identity, corporate control, and just how far businesses might go to squeeze productivity from their workers. Now that you're out from under your rock, let's dive into why it matters for your brand.

A $200-Million Toxic-Workplace Drama Hit

Let’s face it, consumers are absolutely spoilt when it comes to streaming platforms. Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Go, Viu, Apple TV+, and that’s barely scratching the surface. At last count, there were at least 10 major streaming services fighting for a slice of your time and attention, each churning out dozens of new series every month. If that doesn’t scream overcrowded, I don’t know what does.

But even amid all this noise, Severance has broken through spectacularly. The series didn’t just win critical acclaim, it translated buzz into real dollars, reportedly raking in over US$200 million in revenue from its first season alone. Not bad for a show that’s essentially about a toxic workplace.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I could talk your ear off about the stunning cinematography, layered symbolism, or spot-on casting. But let’s be honest, you didn’t click this article to read my fan letter to Ben Stiller. So instead, we’ll get straight into three standout brand building elements every brand should borrow from the Severance playbook: Customer Segmentation, Brand Nomenclature, and Logo Design.

Speaking Your Outie’s Language

One of the biggest reasons Severance’s promotional strategy hits home is simple, the creators know exactly who their audience is, and they commit fully to speaking their language. In other words, they’re all-in on “committing to the bit”.

Take their genius move of creating an actual LinkedIn profile for the fictional company Lumon Industries. Severance isn’t the first series built around a corporate workplace (there’s NBC’s The Office as well) but it is the only one to fully embrace the professional world by turning up on LinkedIn itself.

The show’s creators clearly recognised that their audience includes professionals who regularly check LinkedIn as part of their polymedia bundle. Placing Lumon Industries exactly where their viewers already spend their time isn’t just clever, it’s a masterstroke in customer segmentation. It deepens the sense of realism, enriches the show’s world-building, and helps Severance feel larger than life. This highlights that understanding exactly where your customers naturally gather and fully committing to meet them there can make your brand resonate deeper and feel genuinely relevant.

Words So Catchy Your Outie Remembers

One of the reasons Severance has jumped from “just another TV show” to something people obsess over is because of the show’s clever use of brand nomenclature. They don’t just throw around clever terms once or twice, they commit hard across every touchpoint, embedding these phrases into fans’ daily lives.

A great example is the phrase “Your outie…”. In the show, severed employees (who have zero memory of their lives outside the office) get morale boosts from Ms Casey, the guidance counsellor, who calmly recites affirmations starting with these two words. By repeatedly delivering this quirky phrase, Severance turned it into something instantly recognisable, a signature bit that fans eagerly latch onto.

And here's the kicker: it actually starts bleeding into real life. When local brands like Hello Arigato jump on the bandwagon with clever spin-offs like "Your Outie Only Drinks Specialty Coffee" during their latest pop-up at Boutique Fairs, it becomes more than just branding, it's now an IYKYK moment. It creates hype, sparks conversations, and builds an inner circle around the show. Therefore, this illustrates the power of consistent, intentional naming across every brand touchpoint. It’s not merely about being catchy, it’s about creating language that your customers eagerly adopt, transforming customers into ambassadors of your brand’s own cultural community.

Lumon’s Logo is Corporate Déjà Vu

The Lumon logo feels oddly familiar, like something you’ve definitely seen before. That’s no accident because graphic artist Tansy Michaud deliberately designed it to echo pharmaceutical companies, pairing the logo type with a subtle droplet-shaped element, evoking trust and authority instantly.

What’s brilliant is how effortlessly brands can slip themselves into the Lumon logo. Simply swap out “Lumon” for your own company’s name, and suddenly you’ve got an instantly recognisable co-branding opportunity. Because the logo already mimics corporate identities we encounter daily, it taps into something comfortably familiar yet intriguing.

Even better, the design scales perfectly. You can pluck out the distinctive “O” and drop it onto your business card or website favicon without losing its visual punch. It’s simple, memorable, and cohesive, no matter the context.

Michaud’s aim was clear, craft a logo that feels timeless, authoritative, and just corporate enough to be believable. Lumon’s logo offers a real-world example of how powerful adaptable branding can be when done thoughtfully.

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If there’s anything we’ve learnt from Severance, it’s that a memorable brand isn’t built by playing it safe, it takes guts and a commitment to truly knowing your audience. Whether it’s bringing your brand closer to your customers, crafting phrases that become part of everyday conversations, or designing logos that people instantly recognise, the best brands are always a little bold and deeply intentional.

That’s exactly what we strive to create. Since 2020, we’ve been shaping brands across hospitality, architecture, and tech, always aiming to elevate the future of design in Asia and beyond.

If you're looking for ways to turn your brand into a cultural talking point, reach out — we entertain all requests equally.