Every brand has a unique story to tell, and our mission is to help them articulate that story through strategic brand refresh and innovative technologies. Our approach combines meticulous attention to detail, a deep understanding of our clients’ business needs, and a commitment to creating user-centered designs that resonate with their target audience. Here’s a glimpse into our process, illustrated through some of our recent projects across diverse industries.
Comprehensive Brand Analysis
Our journey typically begins with a comprehensive brand analysis. We dive deep into understanding the core values, mission, and vision of the brand. This involves extensive research and collaborative workshops with key stakeholders to uncover the essence of the brand’s legacy and its market positioning.
For a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company headquartered in Chicago, our analysis and discussions revealed the need for a refreshed visual identity for their Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that reflects their commitment to innovation and sustainability, with core authenticity and personality. We developed a new logo with a cohesive design language for each group, emphasizing their involvement and ensuring consistency across all touchpoints with the main corporate brand.
This involved in-depth research to understand the unique characteristics and thematic elements of each group. Through engaging discussions with each ERG, we developed designs that encapsulated their identities, making each logo a symbol of pride and unity.
Following the selection of each logo, we created detailed brand guidelines to ensure consistency in logo usage. These guidelines specified dimensions, color schemes, and placement, serving as a crucial reference for internal and external stakeholders. Additionally, we adapted the logos for various applications, including digital, merchandise and promotional items, ensuring they maintained their integrity across all platforms.
Strategic Design & Development
Our process is detailed and intricate, yet simple and fact-driven. Once we have a clear understanding of the brand, completed in the initial phases of the agency’s client onboarding, we move to the design and development phase. This typically involves creating visual assets, iterating, testing, and analyzing to finally develop a user-friendly website or collateral materials, ensuring the brand’s story is conveyed effectively through every element.
For our client, Legat Architects — Chicago-based architectural firm, known for their innovative design solutions — we needed a brand refresh that would highlight their creative and sustainable design approach. We revamped their website to showcase their impressive portfolio with a clean, modern aesthetic and an intuitive navigation system. The new design not only improved user engagement but also reinforced Legat’s position as a design-first architectural firm.
For Legat, straightening their design language was a pivotal part of the brand refresh and web design. We created a set of visual standards that included carefully chosen colors, shapes, and patterns. These elements not only unified the brand’s appearance but also served a practical function. By implementing a color-coding system, we were able to differentiate various sections of their website, making it easier for users to navigate and find information.
The visual standards were designed to guide users through Legat’s visual narrative seamlessly. Each color and shape was selected to reflect the firm’s values of creativity and sustainability. For instance, earthy tones and geometric shapes were used to symbolize their commitment to environmentally friendly design and structural innovation. This approach not only enhanced the aesthetic appeal of their website but also improved user experience by providing clear visual cues.
Additionally, we ensured that these visual elements were consistently applied across all touchpoints, from digital platforms to print materials. This comprehensive approach helped reinforce Legat’s brand identity, making it instantly recognizable and memorable. The new visual standards also allowed for flexibility, enabling the firm to adapt their branding for various marketing materials while maintaining a cohesive look.
Through this meticulous design process, we were able to strengthen their brand presence and communicate their unique value proposition more effectively. The result was a refreshed brand that not only looked visually stunning but also functioned intuitively, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.
User-Centered Approach
Our design philosophy centers around the user. We create interactive prototypes and conduct usability testing throughout our processes to ensure the website and marketing collateral is not only visually appealing but also intuitive and accessible to all users.
For Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, a global financial services firm, ArtVersion undertook a comprehensive redesign focused on enhancing their investor communications through strategic and cohesive design methodology. The rebranding phase to Morgan Stanley presented a unique challenge: seamlessly transitioning brand identity in its meketing materials without losing the ethos of its esteemed legacy.
The collateral needed to resonate with high-profile investors, encapsulating both the prestige and innovation at the heart of the brand. ArtVersion was tasked with a design overhaul and a strategic reimagining of how the firm communicates its value and vision to its audience. This transformation required crafting a bespoke design language that would consistently guide the creation of marketing materials.
We crafted a bespoke design language that would consistently guide the strategy, creation and development. The collateral design produced, encompassing a pitch book, premium binders, and other creative assets, was carefully crafted to align with the brand’s rebranding initiative. This significantly elevated the brand’s communication strategy with its esteemed investors, showcasing sophistication and innovation.
A critical component of the rebranding effort was the development of new color standards. Color was crucial in establishing a fresh yet timeless aesthetic for print materials. The chosen color palette reflected professionalism and reliability, which cohesively complemented the typography selection that balanced modernity with legibility, ensuring the materials were both inviting and authoritative.
On the digital side of initiatives, a comprehensive set of digital designs was created to extend the newly established design language across digital landscape. Each element was purposefully designed to align with the overall brand strategy, reflecting values of professionalism, innovation, and reliability.
The thoughtful application of the design language across digital mediums reinforced that every interaction with the brand, whether online or offline, delivered a consistent and impactful brand experience.
Adaptive and Responsive Design
In today’s digital landscape, it’s crucial that websites perform seamlessly across all devices. We ensure our web designs are adaptive and responsive, providing an optimal viewing experience on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.
Working with Nissha, a leading manufacturer in the material finishes industry headquartered in Japan, a task was a US-market website design and development that could handle a diverse product range and complex catalog structures. Our team designed a responsive website that adapts to various screen sizes, ensuring a smooth and engaging user experience for their global clientele.
Our work doesn’t stop at launch. We continuously monitor and improve our designs based on user feedback and analytics, ensuring the brand stays relevant and effective in achieving its goals.
With the Internet Society, we took a dynamic approach to ensure their digital presence remains cutting-edge. Regular updates and iterative improvements have kept their website at the forefront of internet advocacy, providing users with up-to-date information and resources.
Every brand refresh and web development project is a collaborative journey aimed at elevating the brand’s story and enhancing its digital presence, always with the end-user in mind. Whether it’s a corporate giant, startup, or non-profit, the goal is to achieve usability and accessibility while delivering a consistent and impactful brand experience. At ArtVersion, we are dedicated to creating solutions that resonate with audiences and drive meaningful results, ensuring that every interaction with the brand is engaging and effective.