mn aiga design camp 2014 - modern branding with zeus jones
DESCRIPTION
Designers at Zeus Jones don’t just push pixels. In addition to solving a wide array of design challenges, the team actively contributes to overall brand strategy and solves real business problems to make a meaningful impact for clients. Designers are deeply involved in every step of the process — from running workshops and leading inter-departmental teams to managing client relationships. This hands-on workshop will take you through the unique process that drives design thinking at Zeus Jones. You’ll solve a brief by identifying a strategic design opportunity, developing preliminary design treatments and preparing your pitch for the client. You’ll see how pushing your strategic and creative thinking beyond typical agency expectations can deliver bigger, better results for clients while also boosting your own capabilities across the board. Zeus Jones believes actions speak louder than words, that modern businesses are defined not by what they say but what they do. Zeus Jones’ mission is to help build modern businesses. The company opened its doors in 2007 in Minneapolis and expanded to include a San Francisco office earlier this year. Clients include General Mills, Nestle Purina, Nike, Nordstrom and Post-It.TRANSCRIPT
Thanks for coming. !
•A bit about Zeus Jones and how we operate •Outline of our branding process •A few example of our process in action
Our goal is for you to walk away with some simple, strategic branding exercises that you can apply to your next branding project.
A bit about us: !
•Established 2007 to build Modern Brands •We have a team of 50 people in our Uptown office •Earlier this year, we opened an office in San Francisco •Everyone sits together around a couple of big tables
We believe modern brands are defined by what they do, not what they say.
We are an agent of change, not an agency of record.
Modern Brand Accelerator
For ventures needing a fast turn around modern branding framework
Barrier Breaker
For ventures needing to tackle a tough problem that is becoming a barrier to growth.
Brand Builder
For ventures looking to design, build and maintain a modern brand from the ground up.
We believe the role of a designer extends far beyond the act of designing.
We ask designers to: !
•Understand how to define and craft a company’s belief and purpose •Effectively evaluate product categories and understand culture •Develop good ideas that support the brand strategy •Represent your own ideas to the client (We don’t have account people) •Facilitate collaboration with the client and team members throughout the process
Our process helps keep us on strategy and forces us to think differently
Belief and Purpose
Uncovering a company’s reason for being
Competitive Audit and Whitespace
How to set ourselves apart from our competitors
Moodboard Exercise
Visually define the whitespace in the category
Sketch
A framework to help us find as many unexpected combinations as possible
Design
Bring our ideas to life in a way that is well-executed and strategically sound
!
Belief and Purpose !
•What is the one unique belief this company has that sets them apart from everyone else?
•Based on that belief, what is this company built to do?
!
Competitive Audit and Whitespace !
•Identify the visual clichés that all of our competitors seem to be doing •Find ways this brand can be disruptive to the category while still being true to their brand values
!
Moodboard !
•Visually define the whitespace that makes sense for this brand •Develop a clear POV on color, type, iconography, photography, patterns and textures.
•Start with more images than you think you need, but edit to about 10-12 images in the end
!
Sketches !
•A framework to help us find as many unexpected combinations as possible •The goal is to explore lots of ideas rather than strive for perfection
Idea 01:
Idea 02:
Idea 03:
Idea 04:
Idea 05:
Idea 01: Idea 02: Idea 03: Idea 04: Idea 05:
Idea 01:
Idea 02:
Idea 03:
Idea 04:
Idea 05:
Idea 01: Idea 02: Idea 03: Idea 04: Idea 05:
!
Design !
•Apply the look and feel of the moodboard to the best ideas from our sketching session
•We prefer to show fewer options, but make sure they are on strategy •While we have a moodboard as a guidepost, we try to push our initial design directions as far apart as possible
•The time we spend in our upfront process should make the design job much clearer
The following are the process examples that our design team presented at Design Camp.
Circle Built on the conviction that digital currency will change the world for the better, Circle is the first brand to deliver consumer and merchant services built on top of digital currencies like Bitcoin.
Brand Attributes: FreeingDisruptive Instantaneous User-focusedSeamless Accessible Personal Simple Enjoyable
Brand Belief: Money should work for all of us.
Brand Purpose: Put the power of money in your hands.
Whitespace: • Focus on lifestyle, not technology
• Talk to real people, not investors
• Go beyond reducing friction, make it fun.
Category Clichés: Financially-geared
Faceless
Investor-focused
Pain-free
Authoritative
Cold
Safe & Predictable
Flat Color
Disruption: Culturally-geared
Human
Consumer-focused
Enjoyable
Transparent
Welcoming
Innovative
Bright, shifting color
CIRCLE
CIRCLE
CIRCLE
CIRCLE CIRCLE
COLORS GRADIENTSTYPOGRAPHY
Proxima Nova Extrabold Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 01234567890
Proxima Nova BoldAa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 01234567890
Proxima Nova RegularAa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 01234567890
ICONOGRAPHY
TYPOGRAPHY COLOR PALETTECOLORS GRADIENTSTYPOGRAPHY
Proxima Nova Extrabold Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 01234567890
Proxima Nova BoldAa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 01234567890
Proxima Nova RegularAa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 01234567890
LOGO
ILLUSTRATIONS
MOODBOARD SKETCHES OPTIONS FINAL DESIGN
CIRCLE
CIRCLE
CIRCLE
CIRCLE CIRCLE
Minnesota United Pro soccer boasts a four-decade history in Minnesota but faced an identity crisis. With new name and a new spirit, Minnesota United FC set out to give local fans a team to call their own.
Brand Attributes: Unified Uniquely Minnesotan Accessible Honoring tradition Future focused Passionate Competitive Community Outreach Optimistic Persistent !!
Brand Belief: Soccer has the power to unite people from all walks of life.
Brand Purpose: Create a soccer team for all Minnesotans.
Whitespace: • Clean and sophisticated
• Evokes classic soccer while feeling true to Minnesota.
• Locally rooted, with global ambitions
Disruption: Clean
Understated
European
Classic/Timeless
Purposeful use of color
Flat
Sophisticated
!
Category Clichés: Glossy
Aggressive
American
Literal
Loud color
Bevel & Emboss
Overwrought
MOODBOARD SKETCHES OPTIONS FINAL DESIGN
Prepare + Prosper Dedicated to bringing low income families out of the poverty cycle, Prepare + Prosper mobilizes financial professionals around the twin cities to offer tax & financial services to those who need them most while also working to change policy at a national level.
Elements to build around: • Bright, optimistic color palette
• Photos & quotes from real people
Elements that had to go: • That name
Brand Attributes: SmartExperiencedComfortableTransparentAccessibleCollaborativeQuirkyNerdyFun
Brand Belief: Everyone should have the right to economic stability.
Brand Purpose: Improve the overall financial well-being and futures of low-income families.
Whitespace: • Introduce a fun & quirky spirit to
the financial sector
• Look accountable & legitimate among non-profits
• Represent the innovative people in the org, not what they do
Disruption: Refined
Thoughtful
Unique
Friendly
Ownable
Inviting
Fun
Simple
Category Clichés: Haphazard
Unsophisticated
Predictable
Cold
Generic
Intimidating
Boring
Busy
HELPING PEOPLE ACHIEVE FINANCIAL SECURITY
HELPING PEOPLE ACHIEVE FINANCIAL SECURITY
MOODBOARD SKETCHES OPTIONS FINAL DESIGN
We hope you’re able to walk away with some easy ways to keep thinking broad and strategically when you approach your next branding assignment.
Brad Surcey @bsurcey
Grant Wilson @grantwilson
Rachel Hardacre Missy Reinikainen @missyaustin3
Stacia Burtis @staciaburtis
Peter Petrulo @orangetrulo
Alex Register @alex_register
Brian Danaher @madeforending
Gordon McIntyre-Lee
The ZJ Design Team