For many people, their mobile device is considered a necessity. In fact, most people don’t leave their house without it. Since most of us have our phones on us at all times, it makes sense that we also use them when going online. As mobile usage continues to increase around the world, embracing a mobile-first design can be a highly effective strategy for your website. What is Mobile-First Design? Contrary to popular belief, a mobile-first approach is not the same as responsive design. While the two concepts can go hand-in-hand, they are in fact two distinct methodologies. A website that is responsive adapts automatically to fit the size of the screen it is presented on. The design process typically starts at the maximum resolution (desktop), and then progressively scales down to the smallest resolution (mobile). Although an effective responsive design strategy considers all resolutions throughout the entire process, the design is normally focused on the desktop resolution before mobile is considered. Mobile-first design, on the other hand, starts the process on mobile, then expands for…
We are living in a digitally-driven world. As society moves further into this digital space, brands are compelled to follow its lead and boost their presence online. A comprehensive digital strategy seeks to optimize all the potential touchpoints with the brand throughout the customer journey online. These various components, when executed effectively, work in conjunction with one another to help shape consumer perceptions and strengthen the brand. 1. Mobile-Friendly Website Above all else, your website is fundamental to your digital strategy. While it establishing this presence is an essential first step, it is not enough to just put something out there never to think of again. Your website needs to be adaptable to grow with your business and with your consumers. Even more importantly, it needs to be user-friendly with a responsive web design to be compatible with mobile devices along with a desktop. Over 50% of consumers used their phones to searching online in 2018 alone. As this number is sure to increase, you should ensure a positive user experience (UX) by making sure…
In any design, color is highly significant. We often think of color as purely aesthetic, used only to please the eye or “look pretty.” But in actuality, its function goes beyond artistic expression. In fact, color combinations play a major role in web design, effectively setting the tone and communicating a site’s purpose. Although colors certainly do add to the visual appeal of a website, a good designer chooses them with careful intention. Considering a site’s objectives, specific color combinations can be used to generate higher rates of conversion and craft a better overall user experience (UX). Speaking With Color Combinations First and foremost, a website is meant to communicate. Whether intending to educate its audience or encourage a particular set of actions, there is some sort of message to be gained by visiting the site. Color can be an effective communication tool, setting the overall tone with which you can build your message. Studies in color psychology suggest that colors can be used to effect certain emotions. For example, tones of red can be…
In the Age of Information, a brand’s vision is only as powerful as the content representing it. Users are tasked with deciphering several layers of messaging, ranging from social media platforms to paid advertising to descriptive text, to help them make educated decisions about whether or not a brand clicks with their objectives. The journey to understanding is an uphill battle that’s only becoming steeper, with diminishing user attention spans a well-documented reality. An assortment of user personas leave consumers processing different information in all kinds of ways. With face-to-face engagement opportunities largely decimated this year, such as for industries like QSR or hospitality, the impact and brevity of digital channels is certainly under a microscope. A unified website can be relied upon as a trusted source of brand clarity, carrying an element of permanence that’s built to reflect a core vision. Ultimately, to convert users, clear articulation of a mission and purpose is what matters. Alas, the importance of wireframing cannot be underestimated. Wireframing (or “prototyping”) is a visual representation of an interface that…
Our society is continually inspired by innovation. As we seek new trends, brands strive to stay ahead of the game and offer the next “big thing.” Design sprints give brands the opportunity to test ideas with consumers before development, ensuring the final product achieves the greatest impact. The challenge with designing a new product often lies in understanding. A brand may seize on a potential opportunity, launching into a full product development project without having a full grasp on the problem they are trying to solve or on the needs of their consumers. Utilizing sprints can help fill this gap. The Solution: Design Sprints The traditional strategy for launching a new product or service is a siloed process that can span across several months. In this method, each new phase is addressed only upon the completion of the previous phase. The challenge with this approach is that the inflexible structure doesn’t allow you to go back for quick adjustments. By the time of launch, the brand may discover that the product or service is flawed…
With a crisp breeze circulating through the Windy City, summer is in the air. As 2020’s halftime rolls around, with brands again shining on full display, the seasonal shift has a way of reminding us that the world of fashion cannot and will not stand still. Fashion is a category with enormous consumer spending implications and little margin for error (or ordinary) as the space clutters. The essence of brand loyalty is always earned and always fluid, but never guaranteed, especially for consumers as fickle as Millennials or Generation Z. Fashion has become less and less about wow-ing consumers with transactional promises, and more about triggering consumers behaviorally by inviting an aura of invincibility while brokering a tangible connection that’s driven by emotion. Cohesive, unified design is a catalyst for purpose-driven fashion brands with lofty visions of community impact and eye-catching cross-cultural collaborations shaping the category’s trajectory. Design’s roots in fashion are formidable, with aforementioned younger generations gravitating towards icons like design wizard Virgil Abloh or beloved Nike shoe designer Tinker Hatfield. McKinsey & Company’s…
There’s no doubt that search engine optimization (SEO) is important for your brand’s digital presence. One of the key considerations involves using relevant keywords that guide users to your web content. In addition to increased visibility, implementing relevant keywords to target your user can enhance their overall user experience (UX) within your website. Choosing the most effective keywords to use throughout your website can be challenging. Whichever words or phrases you use should allow users to find you while also staying relevant to the content provided. Therefore, keywords should be selected intentionally with user experience in mind. The Value of Purposeful Keywords Keywords are, in short, the specific words that allow people to find websites when they use search engines. They can range from a single word to a focused phrase that relates back to the content hosted within your site. When used effectively, keywords can help users find what they are looking by connecting them to your site. Search engines like Google rank sites based on certain factors to determine how high it appears…
Dear Clients and Partners, First and foremost, we would like to thank all of our Frontliners and Essential Workers and express our gratitude for all you are doing throughout these challenging times. We have been very honored to be involved with all of you. With the collective mission of making the world a better place, this involvement has kept us inspired and creative during the last two and a half months working from home. On June 1, 2020 we will return to our offices to carry on with new missions. We have taken all the necessary precautions to ensure we are doing everything to promote the health and safety of our team. We have an ample supply of hand sanitizers, gloves, face masks, and face shields available in all common areas for our team members — in addition to HIPA and UV devices and frequent disinfection protocols. Both of our Chicago and Lake Bluff locations will remain closed to the public. During this time of social distancing, all office visits and meetings have been moved…
2020 has been a year of uncertainties, one that’s a reminder of just how critical it is to remain nimble & adaptive as a brand or business. Thus far, the state of emergency from today’s COVID-19 health crisis has been devastating enough to diminish the relevance of almost every economic sector imaginable. From travel to hospitality to restaurants to retail to entertainment and everything in-between, there’s been an abrupt disharmony in the traditional business-to-consumer model. Many of these industries long for a return to some form of “yesterday,” while others actively ride the wave in order to keep up with the rapidly shifting evolution of dynamic interactive services. The world of education favors the latter. While most industries absorb the impact and fight through to continue production despite the supply and demand uncertainties, brands are digging deep to apply capabilities and push creative boundaries. The reality is that consumer spending habits are unlikely to rebound in the near future, and this is especially true in the form of education. Drastic precautionary measures will be taken…
It’s no secret that in our rapidly changing world, having a dynamic brand strategy is a must. Companies that prioritize an agile brand strategy are better prepared to respond effectively when faced with disruptions or challenges. In order for a business to be sustainable, it needs to able to adapt when necessary. The market is constantly evolving as new technologies and trends emerge. Adopting an agile brand strategy can give brands the flexibility to adjust when the market shifts or consumer needs change. A Streamlined Strategy The traditional approach to strategy centers around a lengthy and hierarchical process. A team typically executes tasks one by one, with each step building on the last. However, the downfall to this type of strategic planning is that it is difficult to manage when a wrench is thrown into the mix. The plan is too structured and time-consuming to allow for quick adjustments. So what if, to speed up the process, you addressed all the steps in your plan simultaneously? This is where an agile brand strategy comes into…