Forging the Future, Honoring Our Roots: A Look Inside Our Brand Guideline Evolution
Posted by Edward Wang on
From the heart of New York City, where the spirit of innovation and relentless motion resonates deeply with our own journey at UrbanCred, we wanted to pull back the curtain and share a little about a crucial process we've been deeply engaged in: the evolution of our brand guidelines.
For those who've been with us, you know UrbanCred stands for gear designed for your life in motion – whether navigating the vibrant streets of NYC, embarking on a weekend trip, or finding your rhythm in the everyday. As we've grown and our community has expanded, we recognized the need to revisit and refine the very principles that define our visual identity.
Think of brand guidelines as our brand's DNA. They ensure that every time you see our logo, interact with our signage in a bustling downtown store, or experience our online presence, it feels distinctly and unmistakably UrbanCred. These guidelines aren't just a set of rules; they are the visual language through which we communicate our values: quality, performance, and thoughtful design.
Why Now? Evolution is Key.
For years, our core visual language has remained consistent, a testament to its foundational strength. However, as New York City's skyline continues to evolve, so too must our brand. The world changes, design trends shift, and our understanding of our audience deepens. It was time to update our visual identity, making it more cohesive and visually appealing for today's landscape, without changing who we are at our core. Staying stagnant isn't an option if we want to continue connecting authentically with you.
Our recent process has been a fascinating blend of introspection and forward-thinking. We've asked ourselves some fundamental questions:
- Are our current visuals truly reflecting who we are today? Have our offerings or our core audience evolved in ways our visual identity hasn't fully captured?
- Are we providing our team with the tools they need to represent UrbanCred consistently and effectively across all touchpoints? From our flagship store displays to our digital marketing efforts, clarity and consistency are paramount.
- Are we future-proofing our brand for continued growth and innovation? Our guidelines need to be robust enough to accommodate new initiatives and creative explorations without losing our core identity.
Our Approach: Precision and Urban Flow.
Our process has been thorough and collaborative, focusing on the precision and functional elegance that defines our products.
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Deep Dive & Analysis: We started by taking a long, hard look at our existing brand materials. What was working well? Where were there inconsistencies or areas that felt outdated? We meticulously analyzed our logo usage, color palettes, typography, imagery style, and overall tone of voice.
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Strategic Refinement: We then focused on aligning our visual identity even more closely with our core focus: the urban explorer lifestyle, commuting, and travel. This meant a deliberate move towards a more refined, minimalist palette dominated by sophisticated neutrals – the blacks, grays, and whites that mirror the modern city landscape and the durability of our gear. Our accent color, a burnt orange, was chosen specifically to represent the dynamic energy of motion, subtle functional detailing, and a touch of adventurous spirit.
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Typography Overhaul: Recognizing the need for both impact and readability, especially for in-store signage and detailed product information, we explored new font pairings. The goal was to find a system that felt fresh and distinctive, while also being incredibly legible at various sizes. We landed on a new three-tiered approach that prioritizes clear hierarchy and a modern, precise aesthetic, moving away from previous choices to embrace a truly future-proof typographic voice.
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Refinement and Documentation: Once we had a clearer direction, our design team visually articulated these ideas. This involved creating detailed specifications for logo usage, defining our precise color codes, selecting typography that balances impact and readability, and establishing clear guidelines for our imagery style – focusing on authentic shots of products in motion within urban and travel contexts.
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Implementation and Training: The final step is to roll out these updated guidelines to our entire team. We believe in empowering our employees with the knowledge and tools they need to be brand ambassadors, ensuring a consistent and elevated UrbanCred experience for everyone.
What This Means for You:
Ultimately, this process is about enhancing your experience with UrbanCred. Clearer and more consistent branding means a more cohesive and trustworthy brand presence. It allows us to communicate our story and our commitment to quality with greater precision and impact.
Stay tuned! We're excited to share the results of this process with you in the near future. Expect to see a refreshed visual identity that honors our NYC roots while confidently stepping into the future, always driven by the spirit of exploration and the pulse of the city.
Thank you for being a part of the UrbanCred journey.
The UrbanCred Team