From Aha! moment to brand
10.12.23 • 7 min read • by Micha Brodoff
We humans are visual by nature. Perhaps the most important way we interact with a brand is through our eyes, feasting on colors, symbols, and typography that together tell a story. But telling an insightful brand story, and then transforming it visually, is a double challenge that requires sharp brains, a keen eye, and – of course – guts!
Micha Brodoff, head brand strategist at Guts, explores 3 brands whose stories we told, each becoming an inspiring visual identity that’s deeper than eye candy.
Overcoming the built-to-break trend with Dofinity
Who?
Dofinity is a tech-first agency, building technological solutions for their clients.
The pain
Dofinity came to us with something only the most self-aware agencies know: that being a client can suck. They needed our help turning this insight into a bold, differentiating brand story and identity.
“The industry is full of agencies that give false promises. We see the trauma in clients. But with us, they see something different, something very truthful – we don’t overpromise.”
David Halfon, CEO of Dofinity
The gutsy insight
From meetings with Dofinity, we saw that they truly care about paying attention to detail, delivering reliable tech that lasts, and building honest relationships with their clients. Refreshing!
So we thought to position Dofinity as the built to last agency. "Built to last" means classic over trendy. Care over rush. Honesty over false promises – even when it stings.
So we thought to position Dofinity as the built to last agency. "Built to last" means classic over trendy. Care over rush. Honesty over false promises – even when it stings.
The story
Today, it seems so much in life is built to break. From the products we buy online, to the swipe-left relationships – even the instant food delivery that’s... meh.
And this terrible trend also touches tech agencies. All too often, clients face false promises, lack of creative problem-solving, and poor communication that lead to deliverables and relationships that are built to break.
But at Dofinity, we’re different.
We’re the agency that builds to last.
We’ve got that impossible mix of solid tech, creative problem solving, and the right, honest people. No overpromises here.
And this terrible trend also touches tech agencies. All too often, clients face false promises, lack of creative problem-solving, and poor communication that lead to deliverables and relationships that are built to break.
But at Dofinity, we’re different.
We’re the agency that builds to last.
We’ve got that impossible mix of solid tech, creative problem solving, and the right, honest people. No overpromises here.
The visual
To bring “built to last” to life, we opted for big, bold typography and solid shapes. And we avoided the emerging trends of 2020s branding, like curly serifs and 3D blobs, in favor of more classic elements and colors that feel weathered with time.
We aimed to strike that impossible mix that sets Dofinity apart: solid and reliable on the one hand, human and creative on the other.
We aimed to strike that impossible mix that sets Dofinity apart: solid and reliable on the one hand, human and creative on the other.
The "tech-y twist" with Evigence
Who?
Evigence creates sensors that track the freshness of food across supply chains, so businesses can optimize the quality of food delivered.
The pain
Evigence had some identity challenges. They weren't sure how to tell their story in an interesting, concise way that strikes the right tone. They asked: Should we look and sound tech-y, like a tech company, or human, like a food company?
The gutsy insight
In our research, we knew that companies in similar categories of AgTech and FoodTech are green, green, green. Sensor and IoT companies were tech-y to the max. And still other food companies were all human and wit.
For Evigence to stand out, we wanted them to feel human, too, but with a "tech-y twist" – striking a balance. Human, because their solution tackles something humans have struggled with since the dawn of time: food waste and freshness. And tech-y, because it does so with deeptech, sensors, and cloud insights.
For Evigence to stand out, we wanted them to feel human, too, but with a "tech-y twist" – striking a balance. Human, because their solution tackles something humans have struggled with since the dawn of time: food waste and freshness. And tech-y, because it does so with deeptech, sensors, and cloud insights.
The story
Freshness is smarter than 'best by' dates. At Evigence, we measure food's freshness like never before, in a smarter, truer way.
With our proprietary sensors and freshness insights, we're empowering food businesses to make the world a fresher place by optimizing supply chains, improving their brand perception and loyalty, and reducing human waste.
Finally. Deeptech that knows true freshness.
With our proprietary sensors and freshness insights, we're empowering food businesses to make the world a fresher place by optimizing supply chains, improving their brand perception and loyalty, and reducing human waste.
Finally. Deeptech that knows true freshness.
The visual
Our creative team crafted a visual language that tells the human story of fresh food, with a “tech-y twist”. Taking inspiration from the E in Evigence, we layered 3 thick lines over and around photography of on-the-vine produce.
Avoiding diversity clichés with LGBTech
Who?
LGBTech is an NGO promoting diversity and inclusion for Israel's LGBTQ+ professionals, hosting events that bring them together to connect, learn, and inspire.
The pain
Prior to hosting the biggest ever summit for LGBTQ+ professionals in Israel, LGBTech approached us to crack the event's theme.
They wanted the theme to consider recent setbacks to the LGBTQ+ workforce in Israel: political homophobia, and a struggling tech sector. But they also wanted to avoid GPT-like diversity clichés, like “diversity at work” or “rainbows of progress”. They wanted to say something meaningful.
They wanted the theme to consider recent setbacks to the LGBTQ+ workforce in Israel: political homophobia, and a struggling tech sector. But they also wanted to avoid GPT-like diversity clichés, like “diversity at work” or “rainbows of progress”. They wanted to say something meaningful.
The gutsy insight
As queer professionals ourselves, we know that companies love pride. But when times are tough for us, rainbow cupcakes and logos on Linkedin in June just don't cut it. What about the other 11 months of the year? How do companies really support us and our struggle?
We thought, when things heat up, LGBTQ+ professionals need beyond pride: a seat at the table, support from our allies, and opportunities to collaborate and uplift one another.
And that became our theme: Pride & beyond.
We thought, when things heat up, LGBTQ+ professionals need beyond pride: a seat at the table, support from our allies, and opportunities to collaborate and uplift one another.
And that became our theme: Pride & beyond.
The story
We LGBTQ+ professionals have reached our “June.” Happy pride! Inclusion, allyship, and DEI initiatives are now more baked into tech companies’ DNA than ever.
But with July just around the corner, what happens when the pride cupcakes are all eaten, and the rainbow logos disappear from Linkedin? How do we go further and deeper with our companies?
At this summit, we'll come together to discover how we can go beyond pride with our companies, and boost our impact on tech and business – all while learning a lot and having tons of fun.
But with July just around the corner, what happens when the pride cupcakes are all eaten, and the rainbow logos disappear from Linkedin? How do we go further and deeper with our companies?
At this summit, we'll come together to discover how we can go beyond pride with our companies, and boost our impact on tech and business – all while learning a lot and having tons of fun.
The visual
We created a rainbow of exploding colors. Our choice of colors offer a fresh, more serious interpretation of the pride rainbow that reminds of a political activist poster.
Like the colors, the typography stretches and expands beyond its boundaries to tell the story of beyond pride.
Like the colors, the typography stretches and expands beyond its boundaries to tell the story of beyond pride.
Final thoughts
As humans, it’s in our DNA to gobble up good stories with our eyes and ears. That’s why brands that tell inspiring stories are more likely to win over their audiences.
Well... easier said than done. Brand storytelling isn’t all magic, and it isn’t all gut feeling. It’s hard work, comprising research, strategizing, art, wit, and a deep understanding of a company, its audiences, and its landscape.
The good news? You don’t have to do it alone. Guts is in your corner.
Well... easier said than done. Brand storytelling isn’t all magic, and it isn’t all gut feeling. It’s hard work, comprising research, strategizing, art, wit, and a deep understanding of a company, its audiences, and its landscape.
The good news? You don’t have to do it alone. Guts is in your corner.
