QIC needed a brand that captured their expertise.
Aron Creative crafted a brand that better reflected their standing in the marketplace. We created multiple marks, a new color palette and typographic system to give them the brand they deserved.
Brand and Identity
A Meeting of the Minds
Talking with QIC gave us some clear direction for new branding. Take-aways from our discussions were that:
- The current word mark needed to be modernized
- QIC had evolved to be a direct service provider as well as a business partner
- They referred to themselves internally as QIC rather than Quality Incentive Company
Because of these factors, we came up with several approaches to a brand redesign and provided the thinking and a few examples for client feedback.
Brand Retention
The existing logo was set within an oval so we pursued design options that retained a circular or oval shape but updated the way the company is presented visually within that space. This direction was designed to create familiarity with the existing brand but change enough to feel fresh.
A Fresh Start
The current incentive industry has few companies with memorable names. There was an opportunity to change the company name to something that alludes to the idea of incentives and motivation and is much more memorable to the consumer market. Various new company names were proposed as an option.
Emphasizing Incentives
Designs were developed using clean typestacks intentionally emphasizing the word “incentives” and downplaying the words “quality” and “company.” The goal of this exploration was to visually focus directly on what QIC is about rather than the generic words contained within the full company name.
Becoming QIC
Ultimately, transitioning to QIC was selected as the way forward with the new brand. Internally the acronym QIC was already in use at the company so this was a natural fit for exploring in a rebrand. The mark selected reads as QIC but retains an emphasis on the idea of excitement, passion and incentives through the use of the exclamation point. We also developed versions of the logo including a small typestack spelling out the company name.
Spit and Polish
After selecting a logo design, color palettes were explored and refined with the client selecting a combination of red (denoting fire and passion, strength and determination) and blacks and greys (denoting power and sophistication). Typography and design elements were then brought into the fold with Gotham selected as the primary type family and Geomicons implemented for iconography.
QIC Site Overhaul
With the foundations of a new brand underway, it was time to give QIC a site that reflected their new identity. Aron Creative was the creative and development piece of the puzzle, working with outside contractors specializing in SEO and content to give QIC a site they were thrilled with.
Research and Information Gathering
Together with the team at QIC, we dove into the current site and assessed what content was still accurate and what would need to be removed or changed. We created a new site map with a focus on products and services and engaged in discussions regarding the current site design as well as analysis of competitors within the incentives industry.
Planning and Strategy
In order to stay within the projected timeline, wireframe options for home and sub pages were developed in tandem with content. Various content areas were utilized in order to allow for flexibility in regards to information scope. One of the wireframes was flushed out in order to get approval on the design style for the site prior to carrying it across the site.
Design and Development
The typical design process of mockups and routing was used in order to get sign off for the home page. Due to a comfort level with the quality level of design by QIC, we streamlined the remaining work by combining designing with development. The site was previewed on our servers and second level and third level pages were reviewed live. This had two positive effects – it cut down on time spent and allowed for QIC to see the site exactly as it would look and behave in a browser.
Content Management
We knew content management was a necessity from the start of the project. QIC had a desire for more control over content and a planned roadmap for the launch of a company blog. After looking over several options, WordPress was selected for it’s ease of use and familiarity. The company blog is currently in development and should be launched within the next few months.
