The Brand: Integrabeauty.com
The Mission:
To rebrand the Brand Incubator, Integra Beauty, the mother company of several other brands crossing multiple industries and identities. To appeal to both potential applicants and investors.
The Process:
Integra is a Brand Incubator. That is the first thing that I wanted to transpire from the new branding.
It’s also a Brand itself and must have a strong identifiable identity. That being said, because it hosts so many different brands under its umbrella, the look and feel of the new branding must allow each of these children-brands to co-exist without a clash.
That means it will require an identity that could potentially fit anything and everything within its frame. The solution was evidently to be as minimal and basic as possible while standing out and telling its own story.
The Identity:
The first decision with the logo was to cut the word, Beauty. A single-word logo will always have a stronger impact than 2 words, because less, is more. Plus, the word Beauty tends to limit the vision of the brand incubator to be focused only on beauty brands when in reality, it covers and explores many more industries.
I wanted to keep the logo as simple and to the point as possible. So I knew we needed to find a Sans-Serif Font that would be minimal but have enough personality to carry the brand. Helvetica imposed itself as it so often does,
The Palette:
Black, White, and an extra color, that barely acts like a color. I was looking for a shade that could live both next to Black and White. Sweet Corn, was that medium cream, slightly warmer than it is cold. Temperate, and fitting next to any other color.
The Icon:
I don’t always push for an Icon, but considering that our Logo was so minimal, I thought adding an icon would be a great addition to any branding material. It also adds to Brand Recognition.
After an extensive icon design study, going in many directions, we settled on a multi-line infinity symbol representing the cycle of creation, and the infinite possibilities that come with Brand Incubation.
The Fonts:
The main font is of course Helvetica, to simply match the logo, and because it always works. In this case, I wanted a secondary font, that would add some drama when used in strategic positioning. A serif with a vintage feel that can enter in a conversation with the powerful swiss design.
The Photography:
Photography for Integra is either to introduce the company or to introduce its brands. Black and White photography is the default option, once again to remove any mix of colors or points of view.
When adding color photography, it’s about keeping the tone down and sticking to creamy hues that remind of the Sweet Corn palette.
The Website:
This website is purely about storytelling, very much like a portfolio, as we are not selling anything else but ourselves. Big words, videos, imagery, and fun animations with the CTA buttons were allowed for once, as it doesn't;t compromise any “customer funnels”, it’s only for enjoyment.
Social Presence:
The social media presence of Integra, is here again, all for pleasure and communication. Nothing to sell here, besides who we are, and what we do.
It is a perfect medium though to communicate one of the most exciting parts of being an entrepreneurial brand, the hiring opportunities, as well as our few notable successes in simple numbers.
Office Infographics:
This is a section of branding you don’t always get to do. How is the office will look like, or harder even, how can the existing office space carry the new brand identity, and includes everyone in its new storyline?
Simple application of the brand identity into signage, and communication posters allow that effect to take place with minimal effort.
Letterheads:
Templatized letterheads and envelop design was added to the brand package. The idea was to create something simple and straightforward, that could be used across departments, from Legal to PR.
Piggybacking on the Swiss design that Helvetica carries, I opted for a simple grid and column design system, applying all the classic rules of Swiss design, faithful to the mid-century style.
Business Cards:
Here is another fun portion of the Brand Identity, that we don’t always get to cover. The business card, is, of course, the first contact with the brand when you are meeting clients or potential partners.
I deliberately decided to create 2 designs.
A basic version, with our Sweet Corn on the front, Logo only, and the information on the back, black text on white background. This is the basic card, to be used by most employees.
A second design, more elevated this time, is an all-black version with white text. Soft touch finish, with a tone-on-tone, embossed logo with glossy lamination. This is the version for the executive members. Something the handout, and be remembered.
