MORE PROJECTS
Here are a few more of our web design, branding, print design, video, app design and brand-building projects. These ones are either smaller projects or ones that are getting on a bit now – aren’t we all? They’re not old, they’re gold. Click on the project titles to expand them.
Rust & Thyme: Brand Identity & E-Commerce Website
Rust & Thyme: Brand Identity & E-Commerce Website
– Close this project
The brief
We were approached by Carl, the MD of Suffolk Welding & Fabrication, with an intriguing idea for a new business venture. SW&F has been working with high-grade corten steel for many years (the weathered steel with the beautiful rust-like patina) on various architectural projects, including the iconic Dovecote Studio at Snape Maltings in Suffolk.
As well as taking on large-scale steelwork projects, Carl was eager to explore a route to market for smaller, more bespoke corten products, including a range of garden planters and lawn edging. We proposed the creation of a DTC sub-brand, aptly named Rust & Thyme.
Creating the brand
The target demographic would be garden designers and landscapers based within Suffolk, thus keeping it local to SW&F’s Framlingham base – all very rural, rustic and aspirational.
We wanted to keep the logo simple and subtle so it would have a timeless feel to it – in the same vein as Bloom & Wild, Daylesford, Soho Farmhouse, that kind of vibe. We played with various geometric shapes and nature motifs in pursuit of a suitable icon/visual identifier but decided an elegant wordmark worked best.
We settled on a bold, script-style serif font with interesting ligatures to create character and join the two words together. We resisted anything too ornate as the brand’s industrial element would need to be balanced against the rustic, vintage aesthetic.
It was important that the brand would appeal to everyone so we were careful not to make it overly masculine or feminine. Colour-wise, orange/copper to represent the rusty corten steel was a no-brainer, paired with an equally bold teal to represent more natural, organic materials.
Moving onto the website
With the visual identity agreed upon, we moved on to the e-commerce website and artwork for the brand’s social media channels.
We wanted the products to be the star of the show so we set about creating a visual design that would showcase the garden planters in their natural habitat – setting the mood for the aspirational lifestyle we were looking to evoke. While storytelling was an essential element, we kept the written content to a minimum by crafting clear, concise, compelling messaging peppered with trust signals and social proof, coupled with simple illustrations.
There was also a job to do in terms of educating the uninitiated about the features and benefits of corten steel, while also creating trust and credibility by establishing the history, heritage and pedigree of the artisan craftspeople at Suffolk Welding & Fabrication.
It’s still early days for this fledgling brand but we’ve given them the tools to succeed and have started to build a social media community, focusing on the local target audience initially, so it’ll be interesting to see how Rust & Thyme grows and develops in the months ahead.
MindTune: Brand Identity & Web Design
MindTune: Brand Identity & Web Design
– Close this project
Giving the Brand a Tune-Up
Having listened to our guest spot on the Suffolk Pod Show and liking the cut of our jib, the founders of MindTune felt we were the agency to give their brand identity a refresh and design a new website that would help them launch a pioneering new wellbeing service.
Offered alongside traditional therapy, counselling and coaching sessions, MindTune Minutes distils decades of experience into short, sharp 20-minute bursts of solution-focused advice and guidance. This offering, aimed at time-poor individuals (and businesses) who are looking to make fast, effective therapy part of their everyday routine, is a first for the mental health and wellbeing sector so needed a suitable launchpad.
Redesigning the Visual Identity
The brief was to give the existing visual identity a thorough makeover, moving away from muted colours and a logo that had become something of an industry cliché, towards a more modern logo and wordmark with a bold, vibrant and playful colour palette.
After experimenting with various shapes and font choices, we settled upon an icon that incorporated the ‘M’ for MindTune within an abstract clock face frame divided into 20-minute segments. We paired this with a wordmark using the All Round Gothic sans serif typeface, which has a warm, welcoming, accessible feel – perfect for MindTune’s values and ethos.
Colour Palette & Brand Guidelines
We created an extended brand colour palette and used a gradient for the master logo as we anticipate that new service areas will be brought online as the business grows and evolves and the client would like to colour-code them so they’re perceived as distinctive sub-brands. As usual, we delivered simple brand guidelines and logo usage instructions alongside a full suite of logo variations.
Web Design & Development
With the new brand identity finalised, we moved on to designing the new website with accompanying app, complete with integrated booking and online payment functionality. Once again, the goal was to make it a fun, playful, accessible user experience for all, in keeping with the founders’ approach to wellbeing. We used custom illustrations rather than stock photography as this worked better with the colour palette and would set MindTune apart from its competitors who mostly seem to be using a very similar website template.
This has been a great project to work on as we love partnering with businesses who share our values and are just as passionate about what they do. While the subject matter is of course very serious, we were delighted that the MindTune team wanted to introduce an element of fun and playfulness into their new brand identity and website.
SaintOnge Alliance: Logo & Web Design
SaintOnge Alliance: Logo & Web Design
– Close this project
The Brief
Following our work with global business consultancy firm, Leadership Forum, we were approached by an associate, Hubert Saint-Onge, who provides similar executive coaching, consulting and advisory services from his base in Canada.
The SaintOnge Alliance logo was dated and its website had been neglected for quite some time. In fact, the site had been hacked and malware had been installed which was starting to cause issues from a brand reputation perspective. As time was of the essence, we immediately set to work to remedy this situation, designing a new online presence that Hubert could be proud of and one that would restore trust and credibility in the SaintOnge brand.
A New Brand Identity
Hubert already had ideas about what his new logo should look like and had done some work with his VA to create a rough design. We really liked the concept and took that sketch, reworking it slightly, to design a modern and vibrant logo that would represent the support provided by SaintOnge Alliance.
Hubert was also keen on blue so we designed a new brand colour palette for the logo and website that uses complementary tones of blue to create a cohesive visual design that isn’t overly corporate and conservative.
A Complete Website Redesign
A lot had changed within the SaintOnge Alliance since the last website was built so not only was it dated in terms of the visual design and user experience, but it was also largely irrelevant in terms of the site structure and page content.
We worked with the SaintOnge team to create a new sitemap that was more reflective of the current service offering. We also advised on the page structure, information architecture and what would be required from a content and SEO perspective to ensure a good user experience and strong technical SEO performance.
UX Design & Navigation
The old site had become a bit of a dog’s dinner, with pages added into the site navigation without much consideration for the desired user journey and information hierarchy. Our main goal was to simplify the whole site and make it far easier for users to find the information they’re most interested in. We also wanted to emphasise the trust signals with case studies, testimonials, a headline client list and thought leadership content to underscore Hubert’s impressive pedigree. This involved removing a lot of pages and content that were now redundant but we made sure to follow SEO best practice so we would not lose any precious search rankings or domain authority.
PSP Asset Protection: Brand Building Activity
PSP Asset Protection: Brand Building Activity
– Close this project
We were approached by Nick the MD with a simple brief. PSP is arguably the longest-serving provider of library management solutions in the UK, having been established in 1978. Once the undisputed market leader, PSP had been caught and supplanted by larger competitors with big marketing budgets.
Our mission was to help restore PSP to its rightful place, raising fresh brand awareness and showcasing PSP’s solutions and personal service as the best in market.
Integrated Direct Marketing Strategy
Our strategy focused on direct marketing to the distinct audiences we defined for the various products via integrated campaigns. We started with UK schools and colleges that would be interested in PSP’s Infiniti Library Management System (LMS) then moved on to NHS libraries that would need library security systems and self-service solutions.
We felt the existing website wasn’t working hard enough to sell the benefits of these products so we designed new SEO-friendly landing pages and built a new page for LibPaths™ as we felt this was a key selling point of Infiniti but was little more than a footnote on the current site.
The new page content is very much benefit-driven with ample social proof by way of testimonial videos that we shot with existing customers and quotes from past clients.
Digital Marketing Support
With new landing pages in place, we began a targeted marketing campaign using email, social media (including LinkedIn and Twitter ads) and Google Ads. For a modest daily budget, we’ve sent over 4,000 new visitors to the site from circa. 100k ad impressions. We’ve also significantly increased engagement across PSP’s Twitter and LinkedIn channels.
Printed Literature
As well as creating branded content for social media, we’ve built a new section on the website for case studies and optimised sector-specific content. We also designed new print collateral for a school library conference and exhibition hosted by the School Library Association (SLA), including an A4 bi-fold brochure and roller banner.
Above Surveying: Web Portal & App Design
Above Surveying: Web Portal & App Design
– Close this project
Above provides solar PV drone inspection and software solutions driven by high-quality data capture and reporting.
Above’s Technical Manager approached us as he was looking for a UX/UI design partner to assist with the design and build of a new pilot app (EyeSite) and reskin of the existing user web portal (SolarGain).
User Journey Mapping & UX Design
Having first created a base colour palette (using various shades of blue) and a far more vibrant extended palette (in accordance with accessibility standards), we moved onto user journey mapping with a focus on subtle UX embellishments to create a seamless user experience.
Material App Design
We quickly settled upon the Material design system and designed a full suite of wireframes, GUIs, individual components and an overall style guide, which our app development partner could use to create Adobe XD prototypes to import into Flutter.
The EyeSite app is intended to be very functional, a structured template to guide Above’s pilots through the site inspection process, including pre-arrival risk assessments, logging on, completing the flight plans, capturing & uploading the data, signing off and invoicing. The brief for SolarGain was to convert a very functional portal into a more visual experience with rich media, dynamic charts and a far more intuitive user interface and information architecture.
The Golfing Hub: Launch Marketing & PR
The Golfing Hub: Launch Marketing & PR
– Close this project
Our friends at Mutual Media approached us looking for PR support with a new venture they were about to launch – The Golfing Hub – a new indoor golf centre with a club fitting workshop, coffee lounge and business conferencing facilities. The venue was also going to be the new national fitting centre for Vega Golf and would also stock Bentley clubs and other high-end golf equipment.
Social Media Strategy
Our first task, following consultation on the brand identity, was to establish a social media presence and create a range of post templates that could be used across various platforms. We started by focusing on Instagram for local golfers and LinkedIn for the corporate audience but quickly broadened this out to include Facebook and Twitter as that was where our target audience seemed to be most active. We ran competitions and created all sorts of branded video and photographic content to whet people’s appetite for what was to come.
As well as writing a press release that received very good coverage, we also designed a simple landing page website to showcase the forthcoming venue, encourage people to sign up to the mailing list and enter the competition to win an invite to the VIP launch event.
Our campaign culminated in the launch event itself where we were on hand for video and photography coverage while generally making sure the 20 competition winners and their guests had a good time.
Launch Event Support & PR Coverage
The main event was a ‘nearest the pin’ competition where the winners of the men’s and ladies’ competitions got to play on the TrackMan golf simulator against former PGA Euro Tour winner, Ryder Cup star and Sky Sports Golf commentator Andrew Coltart. Also in attendance was former Northern Ireland international and West Ham goalkeeper Allen McKnight.
Having secured plenty of local press coverage, The Golfing Hub opened to the public on 17th September 2021 and is proving very popular with local golfers looking for an indoor golf experience and coaching, as well as international golfers flying in to have their new Vega and Bentley Golf clubs custom fitted.
Clarity Coffee: Logo Design & Branding
Clarity Coffee: Logo Design & Branding
– Close this project
Following a recommendation from one of our clients, we were approached by the owners of Crumb & Brew who required assistance with an exciting new venture. Having built a loyal following for their mobile coffee van at events and locations around Essex and Suffolk, Ed and Liv spotted an opportunity to create their own speciality, ethically-sourced coffee brand.
They had a name – Clarity Coffee (coffee with simplicity and accessibility at its core) – but needed a logo and identity that would work across labels and packaging while complementing the Crumb & Brew brand.
Brewing the Brand Identity
We set to work on a moodboard and various concepts, including something very close to the C&B brand using the coffee bean motif and Poppins typeface, a celebration of the history, geography and architecture of Manningtree (where the brand was born) and a nod to the origins of coffee production. We also played with myriad font styles and colours, including shiny foil textures for the packaging.
We made the classic mistake of presenting 6 individual concepts, all of which we really liked, which made choosing a single concept to refine further almost impossible! Fortunately, there was a clear favourite for Ed and Liv.
The chosen logo and wordmark incorporated a triangular icon/visual identifier to replace the ‘A’ in Clarity. The shape represents a bird’s eye view of the River Stour at the Manningtree estuary – the birthplace of Clarity Coffee. People who are unfamiliar with Manningtree and its topography probably won’t make the connection with the shape of the Stour; however, one might see roots or branches from the “Many Trees” of Manningtree or fork lightning representing the jolt of energy, inspiration or clarity which comes from a great coffee.
Highlighting a single letter in this way allows us to take this letter and use it as an identifier for the brand when using the full logo is undesirable or impractical. We also used Poppins as a secondary typeface so there’d be a link back to Crumb & Brew for consistency.
Brand Guidelines & Logo Style Sheet
We produced simple brand guidelines and logo usage instructions alongside a full suite of logo variations. We also came up with the strapline – Coffee for every occasion. In our opinion, the simple black and white version works best, but we also created a 3-colour palette which would be useful for distinguishing between different coffee types, etc. We chose colours that would also work as foiled options as this would be important for the packaging.
Inspire: Print Design & Video Production
Inspire: Print Design & Video Production
– Close this project
Inspire’s marketing team first approached us shortly after we became patrons of this remarkable charity as they wanted to bring a fresh look to their marketing comms. They were also eager to get some advice on their social media strategy.
Brand Refresh & Marketing Collateral
The logo and colour palette would remain the same but the team felt they could be used in a more creative, contemporary way to make their print collateral more eye-catching and appealing to Inspire’s young audience. We designed a new framing device for the content using sharp, angular shapes and an impactful mix of the red and black colour palette to create a striking contrast. The new poster designs were very well received.
We were called upon again in 2021 to see if we’d be interested in producing a series of nominee videos for the annual Inspire Staff & Student Awards.
We were only too happy to volunteer our services, assisting with the planning of the videos as well as shooting and editing them ready for the big night. The shoot took place over 6 days in July and August, with days in Ipswich, Lowestoft, Thetford and Felixstowe.
Video Production
We produced a total of 30 x 2-minute videos which received a lot of very positive feedback on awards night. These videos have since been shared across Inspire’s social media channels to highlight the amazing and essential work they do with the region’s young people and the positive outcomes achieved by programme participants.
We provided the same support again in 2022 and also produced a full-length case study video to tell Britney’s story. Britney was the winner of the Inspirational Young Person award. More of our videos can be seen here…
Fairbank & Evans: Brand Identity & Stationery
Fairbank & Evans: Brand Identity & Stationery
– Close this project
The partners in new property development company Fairbank & Evans approached us as they’d just purchased their first piece of land with planning permission to build homes but they hadn’t gotten around to thinking about a logo or brand identity for the business.
Following a short discovery phase where we looked at a range of competitor logos and interviewed the client about their aspirations for the company, we quickly set to work on some initial concepts. A clear favourite soon emerged…
Developing the Brand Identity
As the first development and base of operations for the company is near the Suffolk coast, we created an abstract, contemporary shell motif to accompany the wordmark.
The shell has a great deal of brand significance, with Aldeburgh just down the road (home to artist Maggi Hambling’s iconic ‘The Scallop’ sculpture), shells being cosy, unique, hard-wearing homes (reflective of F&E’s high-quality, individual properties), and if one squints, the shape could be perceived as the sails of a boat or the wings of a seabird – representing the freedom of homeownership.
We considered myriad font pairings for the wordmark and eventually settled upon the serif font Cinzel and the sans serif Poiret One, which work very well together and give a suitably high-end look and feel. When creating the brand colour palette, we took inspiration from construction materials and the nautical theme present in the logo.
Brand Texture & Stationery
An added bonus was that we could use the simple lines of the brand icon to create a geometric pattern that could be used as a brand texture on heras fencing, business cards, social media templates, email signatures, letterheads and other document templates.
Brand Guidelines & Logo Style Sheet
We delivered a set of brand guidelines complete with logo variations; clearance, sizing and usage; brand colour palette; typefaces; and other graphic devices. We also created a very basic landing page website as a placeholder until the main site is ready. We look forward to evolving the website as the first development nears completion.
Chaos Media: Web Design & Development
Chaos Media: Web Design & Development
– Close this project
CHAOS Media Productions is a high-end video production company specialising in live action, animation and aerial drone photography for broadcast television and online streaming. The company has recently shifted focus away from its regional base in Suffolk to become more London-facing and had rebranded accordingly. CHAOS came to us looking for a simple, single-page online portfolio website that could be used as a digital calling card when pitching for new work or introducing new services to existing clients. We were given creative carte blanche as far as the look and feel were concerned, so we set about creating an impactful and memorable visual identity that would reflect the brand’s strapline – video that stands out.
Crafting the Brand Identity
The concept was obvious. Chaos. Vibrant colours, interesting shapes, patterns and textures, nothing too linear… Our goal was to keep the eye stimulated and moving down the page. We resisted the temptation to go totally nuts and settled upon a theme of “organised chaos”, which I’m sure anyone who’s ever been on a video shoot can relate to! The colour palette is red, white and blue (albeit 3 different shades of blue) as this ties in nicely with the colours typically associated with 3D video. Surely I’m not the only one who remembers the old 3D glasses with red and blue lenses?
We flipped the white CHAOS logo text to transparent in the header nav, so the colourful backgrounds would show through the wordmark as you scroll the page, making the ever-morphing logo more dynamic and eye-catching. The budget just about stretched to some subtle UX animations on the hover states, but again, we didn’t want to go overboard as the design (which we’d usually try to make fairly invisible) is there to set the tone for the brand and frame the excellent videography and impressive client list on display. Anything else would be a distraction.
Pitch Perfect
Arguably, the most impressive thing about this project is that we went from the initial sitdown with the client to actually launching the site all within 5 days. This is by no means the norm, but CHAOS had a short-notice opportunity to pitch for a big project and asked if we could pull out the stops to get the site designed and built within a week. We embraced the challenge and they won the pitch.
Champagne all round and that’s a wrap!
Car Connector: Brand, Web Design & Collateral
Car Connector: Brand, Web Design & Collateral
– Close this project
Car Connector’s owner approached us with a new business concept, a rough idea for a brand name and a strapline – “A service you can trust, the value you deserve.” He was confident enough to leave everything else in our hands. Following an initial discovery meeting where we interrogated the business model and created target audience, competitor and supplier/partner profiles, we set about designing the brand identity, website, corporate stationery and marketing collateral from the ground up. The goal was to get the wheels in motion (pun intended) as quickly as possible so we could start to test the proof-of-concept and generate leads/revenue.
Establishing Trust & Credibility
The value proposition centred upon helping private car sellers to sell their vehicle – quickly and for the best price – to trade buyers (who need a steady supply of pre-owned vehicles), thus avoiding car auctions and online valuation sites. We soon established that Car Connector’s network could also be leveraged to help people looking to buy a specific vehicle, so we split the user journey into 2 distinct paths, with overlaps for anyone looking to buy and sell.
The used car industry is notorious for the stereotypical “rogue trader” so we structured the website’s information architecture to ensure trust and credibility were front and centre on every page. We included Car Connector’s various accreditations and trade association memberships and provided detailed FAQs and customer testimonials to highlight Car Connector’s excellent reputation and industry standing.
The site’s user journey was carefully constructed to take visitors on a plotted path where consumer confidence would be gradually built before landing on the enquiry form. As well as designing the logo and colour palette, we also created animated icons to bring the service benefits to life in a more visual, dynamic, attention-grabbing way. We wanted these assets to be relevant to the sector, with a bit of quirky character, so they would serve as positive reinforcement of how different and unique the Car Connector concept is.
Visual Identity & Print Collateral
A few different business names were initially pitched to us by the client, but we quickly zeroed in on Car Connector. The service has been launched as Colchester Car Connector, but we can easily change up the geographical aspect should the concept evolve to become a franchisable product.
Once the name was decided upon, we designed a logo that incorporated the double C’s of Car Connector into a chain symbol to represent connections that are safe, secure and trustworthy. We then rolled the brand identity out across the new website, business cards (with an elegant silver foil on the logo and strapline), leaflets, forms and envelopes, apparel and social media profiles. It’s still early days for the Car Connector brand, but we’ve given them everything they need to get off to a racing start!
Hurren & Hope: 3D Brand Identity & Web Design
Hurren & Hope: 3D Brand Identity & Web Design
– Close this project
A long-standing client of ours (see our Karmacoin case study), Hurren & Hope approached us following the first Covid-19 lockdown with a bold vision to totally reposition the business. No longer wanting to be seen purely as an I.T. recruitment agency working primarily with local businesses, they wanted to shift the brand perception towards H&H being a provider of holistic business solutions on a global scale. Thus, Human Dynamics was born.
A New Visual Identity using 3D Animation
Our first task was to redesign the existing brand identity as the light blue and yellow colour palette, simplistic wordmark logo and playful illustrations used across the website no longer reflected the ‘big league’ brand aspirations and were seen as too soft.
The new HD offering would be focused around 4 primary service areas (Planet, Health, Tech and Ignite > Altitude – an innovative platform aimed at startups, scaleups and restarts), so we created a new master logo that would visually reference all 4 elements, with sub-brand logos for each. We also created detailed brand guidelines for the new visual identity.
We recreated the flat visual identifiers from the logos as 3D shapes that we could animate and use as a logo ident for the video content that would be taking centre stage on the new website. We also used these 3D shapes as scroll-controlled sequences on the new homepage to add a little wow factor for the tech-savvy target audience.
Having applied the new brand identity to the company’s business cards, email signatures and other marketing collateral and stationery, we moved on to a complete overhaul of the website.
A Complete Website Overhaul
Everything would change, from the sitemap and information architecture to the visual design and tone of voice. We would be talking to an entirely different audience with the new brand so there was very little to salvage from the previous site – except SEO rankings, of course!
The new website is a step-change from what came before and while the focus is still primarily on jobs and recruitment (for now), the Ignite section is starting to build a new audience for the H&H brand with its ‘Service Partner’ offering and ecosystem of like-minded, time-served experts who are able to help early-stage businesses achieve their full potential without breaking the bank.
We look forward to continuing to evolve the website and bringing more sophisticated functionality online to provide even more value to the world-changing businesses that are partnering with Hurren & Hope Human Dynamics.
Azpects: Video Production
Azpects: Video Production
– Close this project
The sales and marketing team approached us to fill in for their usual video production partner as they were unavailable for a shoot that could only take place on a particular day.
The brief was to get some extra footage for a product demo video that had already been produced, but it was decided when the first edit was presented that some stages of the process were missing.
Always eager to add as much value as possible, while we were on location getting the missing shots for the EASYClickBase video, we also shot a demo video for EASY4Rust and a series of product endorsement videos with industry influencer “Johnyboy” of Landscaping Survival, including a comprehensive product overview with EASYClickBase’s product manager.
The client loved the fact that we were able to deliver so much content from a single day’s shoot when they were only expecting a handful of clips. Azpects came back to us not long after for 2 new videos for their Black Spot Remover and Hardscape Cleaner products. We sourced a suitable location that would allow us to effectively demonstrate the products on slabs and tiles and partnered with our client Colchester Pressure Washing – Wash2o for the pressure washing that would follow the product application.
We used a combination of aerial drone, timelapse and Steadicam footage to show the before, during and after phases. The master video will now be cut into shorter sequences to be used on Azpects’ social channels.
Marina Simioni Music: Brand & Web Design
Marina Simioni Music: Brand & Web Design
– Close this project
Star of BBC One’s The Voice, singer Marina Simioni came to us following a recommendation from one of our video production partners. She was looking to launch her own live entertainment company and with several bands and musical acts already signed up, she needed a brand identity and website that would reflect the talent involved.
We created a new logo for Marina Simioni Music and Marina Simioni Theatre based on the initials and used a script font for the wordmark to represent Marina’s personal signature.
We edited the master videos that had been created for each act into smaller clips as we wanted video content to be the centrepiece of the website. After all, people looking to book an act would want to see and hear them before making the purchasing decision.
We created distinctive colour coding for each act based on the lighting used in their videos but otherwise, we kept the overall visual design quite simple and stripped back.
Personal Trainers: Web Design & Development
Personal Trainers: Web Design & Development
– Close this project
During the first Covid-19 lockdown, we were approached by several personal trainers who were looking to move their traditional in-person classes to an online delivery platform. This involved taking their existing, very basic websites (literally, a single page with contact information) and turning them into sites with online booking and payment functionality as well as an integration with Zoom so classes could be delivered via video call.
SEO was also a key factor as this was becoming a very crowded and highly competitive marketplace so outranking their competitors in the SERPs was vital. Another key consideration was price as the budgets available for this mission-critical activity were modest.
We were keen to assist fellow small businesses that were suffering due to this unforeseen, catastrophic global event so we cut our usual rates to ensure a cost-effective solution.
The first PT to come to us was Fitness with Geri following a recommendation from Karl at Nexus Physiques who was familiar with our work. Karl then approached us asking if we could do the same thing for him. Fitness with Fabio reached out to us shortly after, having seen Geri’s site and wanting something similar. In all instances, we inherited the logo and colour palette, but it was up to us to craft the overall visual design for the websites and accompanying apps.
Aspire Cycles: Web Design & Development
Aspire Cycles: Web Design & Development
– Close this project
Aspire Cycles offers cycling enthusiasts and professional athletes the opportunity to build their own bespoke dream bike, with over 2 million custom design, colour and component options. The business had been going for 3 years when the entrepreneurs behind the venture approached us at the end of 2019 with exciting growth plans for 2020, including a brand relaunch. We were tasked with reinvigorating the brand identity and redesigning the website to reflect its values and the aspirational lifestyle the brand represents.
Reviewing the User Experience
From a site structure point of view, the first job was to conduct a full UX audit – an in-depth review of the user experience sitewide – looking at all of the existing pages and finding ways to improve the user journey. We stripped back a lot of the page content, removed duplicate content and created new content to better tell the Aspire story, with a consistent tone of voice throughout. Streamlining the site content enabled us to increase the load speed and make the site far more responsive.
We were given carte blanche when it came to the new visual design; however, the Aspire logo was already fairly established and had been used on the product from day one, so we decided to make a few subtle changes to the digital version to tie the new visual identity together, but otherwise left it alone.
Aside from the minor logo embellishments, our primary goal was to visually showcase the ‘Aspire’ way of life and bring meaning to the strapline – Your Bike, Your Way. The client felt the old website was a little flat and certainly didn’t evoke any aspirational sentiments or show the passion behind their premium product and service.
We knew the website needed to create more of an emotional connection with its visitors and work much harder in terms of converting visitors into buyers. Our UX/UI audit and user research told us that the new site would need to be far more visual and engaging while solving customer pain points and making the consultancy/ordering process as frictionless as possible.
The new site boasts far more purposely-commissioned imagery, designed to grab the visitors attention and inspire them to picture themselves on their dream bike doing what they love. We also worked hard on the written content to ensure the tone of voice is not only consistent but also correct for the target audience.
The site’s information architecture also came under our scrutiny as we wanted to ensure that new and existing customers would quickly find what they’re looking for. We also added trust signals (e.g. brand partner logos) and social proof by way of customer testimonials to build the brand’s credibility. Being a lifestyle brand, social media and user-generated content are integral to the brand strategy going forward so we incorporated social touchpoints throughout the site, including an integrated Instagram feed.
Something to Aspire to…
We turned the new Aspire Cycles website around faster than a high-speed aero bike so the team were ready to hit the ground running in 2020. As usual, we will now monitor the site closely to see how visitors are interacting with the content so we can make CRO recommendations and continue to iterate on the initial design. We’re excited to be working with the Aspire team on their creative strategy, helping them engage new customers, grow their community and generate more bike sales through the website.
PFS Fueltec: Rebrand & Corporate Stationery
PFS Fueltec: Rebrand & Corporate Stationery
– Close this project
PFS has recently experienced a changing of the guard when several senior team members retired and a new management team was appointed. This provided the perfect opportunity for a brand refresh. Our work began with a 3-hour discovery session where we interviewed the new General Manager and Sales Manager to fully immerse ourselves in the business and the wider industry. This gave us insight into the company’s goals, aspirations and quality-driven ethos while giving us an in-depth understanding of customer needs.
A Supercharged Brand Refresh
We started with a review of the existing logo and colour palette, but the brief quickly evolved to include the following: logo design, iconography, brand guidelines, stationery pack, print ads, event invitations, stand design, datasheets and company brochure.
Logo Design
It was important to the client that the new logo should feel like an evolution of the existing wordmark rather than a step change, so the goal was to create a familiar feeling logo that would present the company as a modern, vibrant, forward-looking business. Green is a particularly meaningful colour within the fuel industry (PFS certainly takes its environmental responsibilities seriously) and we liked the softer, friendlier feel of the lower case PFS, so we were keen to carry those through to the new logo.
We were also keen to introduce a relevant visual element so the logo would better serve as an icon. This led us to the 6-segment fuel gauge motif. The six segments represent the company’s core service areas and the full fuel gauge represents an air of positivity and optimism, as well as being an obvious nod to the industry that PFS serves. The final addition was the embellished crossbar on the ‘f’. The extended “arms” represent togetherness and the expert advice, guidance and care that PFS provides to its customers.
Brand Guidelines
To ensure the brand is presented consistently across every customer touchpoint, we created a comprehensive set of guidelines for internal and external use. This document includes suggested usage of the logo (including variations), adaptable strapline, brand tone of voice, colour palette, fonts and typography, brand texture, iconography and photographic style.
Custom Iconography
We created a set of six icons to represent the core sectors serviced by PFS Fueltec – Critical Power, Automotive, Commercial, Road Tankers, Marine and Forecourt. The final versions evolved from a set of simplified icons, which we felt, on reflection, were too abstract to be instantly identifiable without accompanying text.
Corporate Stationery Pack
Digital design is great, but nothing brings a brand to life better than physical collateral. We’ve designed a full suite of new stationery for PFS Fueltec, including business cards, letterheads, company brochures, event invitations, technical data sheets and case study templates.
We also created a stamp design based upon the logomark, which will serve as a ‘mark of quality’ on the company’s packaging materials.
Event Stand Design
Designing for large format print can be a challenge, but it’s always great to see the end result! The primary goal here was for the stand to be flexible enough to work as a complete unit and also as individual popup banners. The key to this was the use of a repeating hexagonal background pattern, which incidentally, was inspired by the chemical symbols for fuel molecules.
The repeating pattern incorporates a subtle gradient effect, similar to the iridescent shimmer seen in liquid fuel.
The Results
Our brand refresh has brought PFS Fueltec bang up-to-date and more accurately reflects the vision and values of the new senior management team. The new branding is in the process of being rolled out company-wide and will soon be integrated with the new e-commerce website, which is currently under development. The new look and feel has been very well received by staff, stakeholders, customers and suppliers.
