The visual refresh of this startup brand (actual name replaced with Acme Inc.) addressed several challenges. Acme Inc. was trying to move up-market to more enterprise customers, requiring a more sophisticated brand. There were also many issues with the existing brand, including an outdated color palette that didn’t play well with the main brand color (orange) and a limited set of brand assets, making it very restrictive.
This visual refresh had to be accomplished in a just a few months, so we kept three core elements from the original brand: the brand mark, orange as the main color, and the circle as the core brand element.
The color palette is bold and vibrant. Orange and off-white are the primary colors, but there is still a heavy use of secondary colors to complement and set off the orange. Unexpected color combinations are used to create fresh, exciting, and modern compositions.
The visual expression strikes a balance between simplicity and boldness. The foundation is classic and geometric, but utilizes various elements to create compositions that are unique, modern, and unexpected. The central focus is the circle and shapes derived from it—primarily half and quarter circles.
This visual brand is extremely versatile—it can be simplified to speak to a more refined audience, or elements and colors can be combined to create more exciting, dynamic layouts. In this way it is able to walk the fine line between sophistication and fun.