Gelo is a local startup that represents one of Mutually Human’s first forays into the internet of things. Together with Mutually Human, Gelo provides reliable low-energy bluetooth beacons and a stable SDK for developers to add proximity awareness to their iOS and Android Apps. I was tasked with designing a brand identity system that would be robust enough to be applied to everything from smartphone apps to pencils to bluetooth beacons.

Process

My process begins with stakeholder interviews to establish a baseline of business goals and company values. From there, I perform a market competitor comparison to gain context about what it means for a brand to be truly “good”. With Gelo, I had to draw together disparate stakeholder opinions while convincing everyone involved of the value that could be delivered by creating a new brand identity that would leapfrog them ahead of the competition in a burgeoning market.

Once the client was convinced of the necessity of a rebrand, I began by collecting inspiration from visual artifacts that communicated inclusiveness, energy and dependability. After low fidelity sketches and high fidelity mockups, I chose vibrant colors and concentric, offset circles to communicate energy and inclusivity together with the classic sturdy font Avenir Next.

Applying The Identity Across A System

From there, I began to use the brand identity to inform the design of Gelo’s various pieces of collateral. I designed everything from postcards, to magazine ads to a revamped marketing website to the GUI of Gelo’s proprietary CMS. Having gained experienced with the boundaries and strengths of the identity system, I wrote a comprehensive set of brand identity guidelines for Gelo to govern the visual identity in the future. Custom photography was needed for a high profile advertisement in a national trade magazine. I met this need by contracting a local photographer and art directing a day long photoshoot in the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Finally, I redesigned a few of the many iOS and Android apps Gelo had created.

Responsibilities

Art Direction, Visual Design, Illustration, Photography, Web Design, Front End Development