Introduction
Codezeros originally commissioned this project for a logo and a website
We discovered the need to radically separate this company from all other IT companies. Blockchain was considered nothing more than a concept back in 2018.
Codezeros was the parent company of the branding studio I was working at. We shared the same office floor and used to provide minor Design support. Eventually, I was offered the role of Chief Brand Officer for Codezeros alongside my position at Slangbusters.
Research
It was like researching 'internet companies' in the 80s
There were no other companies (not just in India but on this whole planet) that delivered Blockchain services to people that wanted to build a product using that technology.
We started looking for reports but found no literature on the subject. Not even a single syndicated research. So we compiled our own report.
During the process, we learned about how blockchain functions as a technology and its potential use-cases. We constantly verified it all with the Blockchain Lead of Codezeros, Mahendra aka Ace of Diamonds
Strategic Direction
Building a working methodology blueprint for a Web3 service provider
While the industry was mostly unknown, vague interpretations of new technology had started to pop up. IT service companies around us were using the same old techniques to define and market themselves in the context of blockchain.
We did not know the possibilities too but we knew what we had to stay away from. The way forward was inspiring. Total creative liberty in a time of rusted methodologies. This was the perfect excuse to pivot to a totally new way of working.
Creative Direction
This project allowed me to implement experimental methods in a conservative work environment, guided by Strategy.
The lack of a specific style was fulfilled by Modernism. It too focused on the usefulness of ideas and blended with the vision of Codezeros like the AirPods fit in its case.
Defining Services
(A use-case of brand strategy having immediate impact on business)
The services were not clearly defined and since no company in the world was delivering blockchain solutions, no references to begin with.
We had the data from our own reports. We sat down with Operations and defined them services.
The KL Table
KLWho is it?
03Blockchain = Bitcoin
02Ethereum exists
01Business owners who are abreast of the technology. The ideal customer.
Knowledge Levels
(A use-case of brand strategy having immediate impact on business) (1)
We knew the terminology and the way we had structured the services but the users did not. Nobody did. So we created a tool to serve as a bridge: Knowledge Levels.
(Based on this gradation system, we classified the audience for each page on the website too.)
Symbols
Yet another unique arrow
There was silence in the studio. Accenture had taken the last arrow to put on logos. Quirky logos all over icodrops.com (an ICO database) were shaping the visual ecosystem of blockchain entities. We turned to the Brand Brief of Codezeros.
The essence and positioning was this. An emerging tech company with an idea-centered focus.
The idea was to create a high performance signature. A true symbol that represents all of the things you just read.
Is it read code-zeros, co-dezeros, codez-eros? I charged the logotype with the responsibility to remove this ambiguity.
Interface Design
Blockchain and Blockchain Co
Since 21st century
You are familiar with the greenroom drama from the previous sections. This is what the performance finally looked like.
Since this company was in the emerging technology space, the website had to work the part. Apart from the usual pages, we designed an 8-bit-ticker and separate technology pages that serve as knowledge banks.
Another landing page screen
1/5
Stable,
emerging tech
Making something look pretty is easy in the 21st century, especially in the technology space. But to make something truly of the future, it requires looking in simpler spaces.
In 2018 we didn't have much to work with except the knowledge of the technology itself. It gave us an insight into how future of technology is shaped in the present, regardless of era. Using this we focused on sowing the culture and what we got from the culture, we used in shaping the external brand voice. The branding program made internal communication more frequent, pivoted teams towards a more agile workflow, and made them lean towards constant learning.
Branding is not magic. A good branding program brings total clarity of vision.
That vision gives solutions to long-standing problems. Action generated towards these solutions in turn generates proactiveness in the employees and trust in the customers. And we all know the value of trust.
So yes, branding is not magic. Magical? Yes. And there's a definite craft to doing it.
