logos, brand and underpants: one startup's journey to finding their visual identity
TRANSCRIPT
Logos, Brand, and Underpants: One Startup’s Journey to Finding Their
Visual Identity ROBERT J. MOORE, CO-FOUNDER & CEO OF RJMETRICS
THUE MADSEN Marketing Operations Manager, Kissmetrics
@ThueLMadsen
ROBERT J. MOORE Co-founder & CEO, RJMetrics
@robertjmoore
#KissWebinar @Kissmetrics
#KissWebinar
@robertjmoore
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WHO WE ARE
At RJMetrics, our mission is to inspire and empower data driven people
RJMetrics CloudBI
RJMetrics Pipeline
1 Reasons every startup should invest in a strong visual identity Lessons Bob learned on the path toward building a brand every team member is proud of What to do if you end up with a logo that looks like underpants
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WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO LEARN
WATCH WEBINAR RECORDING NOW
Company DNA
EVOLVING A VISUAL IDENTITY
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WE LOVE DATA
We are 130 people who are crazy… about data.
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HOW WE GOT STARTED
We started out just like any other company: a few passionate people with a big idea
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BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GROW?
FONTS
Everything Breaks
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WHAT BREAKS?
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WHAT BREAKS?
ü Communication
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WHAT BREAKS?
ü Communication ü Management style
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WHAT BREAKS?
ü Communication ü Management style ü Recruiting ü Compensation
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WHAT BREAKS?
ü Communication ü Management style ü Recruiting ü Compensation ü Workflows ü Office space ü Visual identity?
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WHAT IS COMPANY DNA?
Company DNA: The most potent attributes of the founding team. Common Convention: this identity sticks with a company forever My Take: This is a weak metaphor. Company DNA mutates in its own lifetime.
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RJMETRICS DNA
Our story is just one case study on how company DNA can evolve. We’ve changed a lot. We’ve also made a lot of mistakes. I hope you can learn from the story.
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SO WHAT WAS OUR DNA?
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FRUGALITY
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FRUGALITY. TO A FAULT.
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FRUGALITY. TO A FAULT.
State Prison
County Prison
$400/mo? Sold!
State Prison
County Prison
Clown Tie
Wrinkled MC Hammer Pants
Act I: Outsourcing
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FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT
What do you do if style isn’t in your DNA?
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FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT
You buy it! …but what if you’re a broke company?
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FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT
You outsource it!
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2008 (OUR FUNDING YEAR)
Standards for consumer use impacted expectations for business use
“Consumerization of the enterprise”
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MEANWHILE...WE GREAT AND STARTED HIRING
Our needs evolved, and our DNA did too.
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MEANWHILE...AND EXTERNAL PRESSURE WAS RISING
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MEANWHILE...AND EXTERNAL PRESSURE WAS RISING
We A/B Tested our Want Ads
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MEANWHILE...AND EXTERNAL PRESSURE WAS RISING
We A/B Tested our Want Ads
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WE MOVED TO PHILADELPHIA
Act II: Hired Guns
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MEANWHILE...(STILL NO DESIGNER ON STAFF)
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BORROWING FROM OUR MENTORS
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IT WAS TIME FOR A WEBSITE REDESIGN
“Can you throw in a logo?”
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SELF ANALYSIS
Act III: Identity
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FRUGALITY BECOMES EFFICIENCY
DNA MUTATION
“We need a new visual identity.”
Risky click of the day…
Risky click of the day…
Google customer survey results:
Google customer survey results:
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WHAT DO WE DO?
ü Abandon the dodecahedron? ü Hang our heads in shame?
50,000 uniques 0.1% view-to-SQL
50 SQLs
19.8% SQL-to-paid 10 paying clients
$20k ARR ACV
$200k of new ARR/year
15x ARR Multiple (w00t!)
$3MM of Equity Value
A Secret Society…
A Secret Society…
A Secret Society…
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HACKATHONS ARE FOR HACKING!
Epilogue: Dodeca Pride
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IDENTITY IS A PART OF CULTURE
Inputs: • How people treat each other • Your core values Outputs: • Perks • Identity
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3 REASONS EVERY STARTUP SHOULD INVEST IN A STRONG VISUAL IDENTITY
1. Industry-leading businesses in every vertical are now using UX as a point of differentiation and competitive advantage
2. Visual identity is an output of culture, and that culture will be the
biggest driver of the talent you retain and hire
3. A strong visual identity requires a deeper exercise around your company’s mission and values. This exercise will pay dividends far
bigger than just a nice logo.
Doubling Every Year = Perpetual Newness
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WHO WE ARE
At RJMetrics, our mission is to inspire and empower data driven people
RJMetrics CloudBI
RJMetrics Pipeline
ROBERT J. MOORE Co-founder & CEO, RJMetrics
@robertjmoore
THUE MADSEN Marketing Operations Manager, Kissmetrics
@ThueLMadsen
Questions?