PROJECT DETAILS
As a part of the Appnovation marketing team we redesigned the brand twice. Coincidentally, it was my first, and my last project with the company. Both projects involved senior executives and myself as the design lead. The first rebrand catered to a fast growing open source technology company specializing in Drupal and Alfresco development.
Fast forward to 2016, Appnovation having grown much larger (180 employees from 30; 12 global offices from 2) started offering more than just Drupal and Alfresco services. Adding consulting, design, and a bevy of new technology expertise, Appnovation needed a shift in the way they communicated their capabilities. This case study focuses on the 2016 rebrand.
Design Process
With a rebrand it is crucial to retain some inkling of the original brand. This rebrand updated the logo, created new brand elements, website, proposals, presentations, business cards, and all internal and external documents. Graphically, it was almost a new company.We chose to keep the general make up of the icon, while making some subtle design changes. We identified that we no longer wanted the word ‘Technologies’ in the logo, and we wanted to introduce more design elements to differentiate Appnovation from other Tech firms. Being the one who created the previous logo and brand, I knew technically what was working well, and what could be improved.
Our team was the new brand theme. Highlighting our team emphasized the character in each individual and how the company is as unique as the team. The company prides itself on diversity. Often on print and digital assets, we use actual images of our staff, made them black and white and augmented colored shapes. The shapes were open to interpretation; we wanted viewers to create their own narratives.
The previous brand had a modern look, with a sleeker vibe. To continue emphasizing diversity, we introduce more color, and graphic element based on geometric patterns. The vibrant colors downplayed the seriousness of the technology, while the geometric patterns echo the complexity of development.
This rebrand vastly formalized the Appnovation Brand. We went into greater details defining the brand’s personality, promise, purpose, target audience, voice, and more.
Branding
As the design lead, we conducted an in depth rebrand with senior management and a 3rd party contractor. Identified the change in target as well as services offerings to redefine our message.
Web Design
Known as one of the best Drupal development companies, I had the tall task if designing and managing the corporate website. Working extensively with the marketing department, we created a vast Drupal 8 website with over 40 unique page types complete with responsive design. Web work also included online ads, campaigns, landing pages, email marketing, and other digital marketing collateral.
Print Design
As primarily a digital business, we did have our own set of custom stationary including, business cards, letterheads, and envelopes. While attending or hosting events we made sure we created many handouts to advertise who we were and what we did. Occasionally, we sponsored events allowing us to set up a custom booth which included a branded backdrop, case (doubles as a stand), table cloth, stand up banners and even promotional giveaways.
Marketing
Over the course of my career, I touched many aspects of Appnovation's marketing efforts. At one point, I managed the social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, LinkedIn, and Youtube. Since then, I moved onto managing Appnovation's web properties include the corporate website. I was also responsible for creating some of its unique content such as, blog graphics and downloadable resources in the form of white papers, eBooks, case studies, and promotional videos. As a team, we ran custom events, drove lead generation, and ran ads all over Google Adwords.
Interior Graphics
During my time with Appnovation, the Vancouver team moved through 3 different offices. While my stint at the first office was short, I had the opportunity to create unique environments for the later two. Branded privacy vinyls, MVP wall with shelving and staff images, and various meeting rooms were the common canvases. However, the third and latest office included a recreational space, kitchen, and smaller private rooms for calls and meetings. I was able to design patterns and use brand elements on a large scale to create energized unique spaces.
Management
As the company grew over the years, so did the marketing department. We added a junior developer, and a motion graphics designer. Both these guys worked very closely along side me as I was their supervisor. Together we help build the latest version of the corporate website, the Chinese corporate site, and their many assets and resources.
