AE Studio
Data science gets a glow up
Project Description
AE Studio is world renowned for their expertise and thought leadership in data science, machine learning, and BCI (Brain Computer Interface). So much so, in fact, that the agency was able to scale steadily with virtually no investment in branding or advertising. The flip-side of this success is that the agency outgrew its own brand, and needed a refresh in order to better connect with a broader audience, as well as market its design firepower as part of its service offering. As Visual Design Director, I worked hand in hand with the leadership team to develop a refreshed brand strategy and dynamic visual identity that reflected the agency's unique approach to product development.
YEAR
2024
ROLE
Visual Design Director
EXPERTISE
Branding Visual Design Web Design
Deliverables
Refreshed Brand Identity & Style Guide Updated Logo Library of Static and Animated Graphic Assets Branded Asset Design Documentation Fully Redesigned 19-Page Website Messaging Strategy Business Development & Marketing Collateral
Project Description
AE Studio is world renowned for their expertise and thought leadership in data science, machine learning, and BCI (Brain Computer Interface). So much so, in fact, that the agency was able to scale steadily with virtually no investment in branding or advertising. The flip-side of this success is that the agency outgrew its own brand, and needed a refresh in order to better connect with a broader audience, as well as market its design firepower as part of its service offering. As Visual Design Director, I worked hand in hand with the leadership team to develop a refreshed brand strategy and dynamic visual identity that reflected the agency's unique approach to product development.
YEAR
2024
ROLE
Visual Design Director
EXPERTISE
Branding Visual Design Web Design
Deliverables
Refreshed Brand Identity & Style Guide Updated Logo Library of Static and Animated Graphic Assets Branded Asset Design Documentation Fully Redesigned 19-Page Website Messaging Strategy Business Development & Marketing Collateral
Project Description
AE Studio is world renowned for their expertise and thought leadership in data science, machine learning, and BCI (Brain Computer Interface). So much so, in fact, that the agency was able to scale steadily with virtually no investment in branding or advertising. The flip-side of this success is that the agency outgrew its own brand, and needed a refresh in order to better connect with a broader audience, as well as market its design firepower as part of its service offering. As Visual Design Director, I worked hand in hand with the leadership team to develop a refreshed brand strategy and dynamic visual identity that reflected the agency's unique approach to product development.
YEAR
2024
ROLE
Visual Design Director
EXPERTISE
Branding Visual Design Web Design
Deliverables
Refreshed Brand Identity & Style Guide Updated Logo Library of Static and Animated Graphic Assets Branded Asset Design Documentation Fully Redesigned 19-Page Website Messaging Strategy Business Development & Marketing Collateral
First Impression
Branded Graphics
AE Studio as an enterprise is bold and tenacious, with a hint of mystery. By bringing together vibrant mesh gradients, 3d assets, and animated textures, I constructed a visual identity to reflect this while remaining flexible, dynamic, and ownable.
First Impression
Branded Graphics
AE Studio as an enterprise is bold and tenacious, with a hint of mystery. By bringing together vibrant mesh gradients, 3d assets, and animated textures, I constructed a visual identity to reflect this while remaining flexible, dynamic, and ownable.
First Impression
Branded Graphics
AE Studio as an enterprise is bold and tenacious, with a hint of mystery. By bringing together vibrant mesh gradients, 3d assets, and animated textures, I constructed a visual identity to reflect this while remaining flexible, dynamic, and ownable.
Brand R&D
Existing Brand Audit
The AE brand that I inherited was quite sparse in terms of consistent elements and guidelines. It was functional enough for a time, but it doesn't exactly convey technical expertise.
Brand R&D
Existing Brand Audit
The AE brand that I inherited was quite sparse in terms of consistent elements and guidelines. It was functional enough for a time, but it doesn't exactly convey technical expertise.
Brand R&D
Existing Brand Audit
The AE brand that I inherited was quite sparse in terms of consistent elements and guidelines. It was functional enough for a time, but it doesn't exactly convey technical expertise.
Brand R&D
Competitive Audit
I started by mapping the brand personalities of all the other significant players who would be addressing our same audience. I then used the resulting map to identify opportunities for the AE brand to stand out.
Brand R&D
Competitive Audit
I started by mapping the brand personalities of all the other significant players who would be addressing our same audience. I then used the resulting map to identify opportunities for the AE brand to stand out.
Brand R&D
Competitive Audit
I started by mapping the brand personalities of all the other significant players who would be addressing our same audience. I then used the resulting map to identify opportunities for the AE brand to stand out.
Brand Development
Typography
AE's typogrpahy needed to appear authoritative on subject matter while remaining approachable and energetic. I opted to use Factoria for headings because of the blocky resemblance it bears to the monospace text of old school command line interfaces. I set headings to be all lowercase to emphasize this thematic gesture, and inject a little playfulness. I then paired it with Bai Jamjuree, which mirrors it's rigid, technological qualities, while offering tremendous legibility.
Brand Development
Typography
AE's typogrpahy needed to appear authoritative on subject matter while remaining approachable and energetic. I opted to use Factoria for headings because of the blocky resemblance it bears to the monospace text of old school command line interfaces. I set headings to be all lowercase to emphasize this thematic gesture, and inject a little playfulness. I then paired it with Bai Jamjuree, which mirrors it's rigid, technological qualities, while offering tremendous legibility.
Brand Development
Typography
AE's typogrpahy needed to appear authoritative on subject matter while remaining approachable and energetic. I opted to use Factoria for headings because of the blocky resemblance it bears to the monospace text of old school command line interfaces. I set headings to be all lowercase to emphasize this thematic gesture, and inject a little playfulness. I then paired it with Bai Jamjuree, which mirrors it's rigid, technological qualities, while offering tremendous legibility.
Brand Development
Color Palette
Despite shifting the brand into a "dark mode" palette to give it a more premium feel, I aimed to honor the old identity's emphasis on oranges and reds. The more significant departure was making mesh gradients a core component of the brand. This allowed for tremendous felxibility in composition, and opened up a lot of opportunity for animation.
Brand Development
Color Palette
Despite shifting the brand into a "dark mode" palette to give it a more premium feel, I aimed to honor the old identity's emphasis on oranges and reds. The more significant departure was making mesh gradients a core component of the brand. This allowed for felxibility in composition, and opened up opportunities for animation.
Brand Development
Color Palette
Despite shifting the brand into a "dark mode" palette to give it a more premium feel, I aimed to honor the old identity's emphasis on oranges and reds. The more significant departure was making mesh gradients a core component of the brand. This allowed for tremendous felxibility in composition, and opened up a lot of opportunity for animation.
Brand Development
Logo Exploration
The only requirements for the logo were that it contained the letters "A" and "E", and that it conveyed a feeling of empowerment. To achieve this, I leaned on gestalt principles and optical illusions to give the viewer an "aha moment". This strategy ironically proved *too* effective, and ended up being such a divisive decision amongst the stakeholders, that we agreed to move forward with a wordmark as a stopgap.
Brand Development
Logo Exploration
The only requirements for the logo were that it contained the letters "A" and "E", and that it conveyed a feeling of empowerment. To achieve this, I leaned on gestalt principles and optical illusions to give the viewer an "aha moment". This strategy ironically proved *too* effective, and ended up being such a divisive decision amongst the stakeholders, that we agreed to move forward with a wordmark as a stopgap.
Brand Development
Logo Exploration
The only requirements for the logo were that it contained the letters "A" and "E", and that it conveyed a feeling of empowerment. To achieve this, I leaned on gestalt principles and optical illusions to give the viewer an "aha moment". This strategy ironically proved *too* effective, and ended up being such a divisive decision amongst the stakeholders, that we agreed to move forward with a wordmark as a stopgap.
Visual Identity Design
Core Brand Exploration
These are initial exploratory sketches of how best to unite fundamental brand elements to tell a story of technological innovation, and cyclical ideation.
Visual Identity Design
Core Brand Exploration
These are initial exploratory sketches of how best to unite fundamental brand elements to tell a story of technological innovation, and cyclical ideation.
Visual Identity Design
Core Brand Exploration
These are initial exploratory sketches of how best to unite fundamental brand elements to tell a story of technological innovation, and cyclical ideation.
Visual Identity Design
Building a System for Branded Graphic Assets
The introduction of "clay" 3d models greatly extended both the versatility, and the ownability of the visual identity, as now each 3d asset could serve as canvas on which to project animated (and static) colors and textures. The final remaining piece was to create an animated texture that reflected the spirit of the agency. I opted for simple, energetic, fluid, circular motion to reflect the never-ending iterative cycle of technological advancement.
Visual Identity Design
Building a System for Branded Graphic Assets
The introduction of "clay" 3d models greatly extended both the versatility, and the ownability of the visual identity, as now each 3d asset could serve as canvas on which to project animated (and static) colors and textures. The final remaining piece was to create an animated texture that reflected the spirit of the agency. I opted for simple, energetic, fluid, circular motion to reflect the never-ending iterative cycle of technological advancement.
Visual Identity Design
Building a System for Branded Graphic Assets
The introduction of "clay" 3d models greatly extended both the versatility, and the ownability of the visual identity, as now each 3d asset could serve as canvas on which to project animated (and static) colors and textures. The final remaining piece was to create an animated texture that reflected the spirit of the agency. I opted for simple, energetic, fluid, circular motion to reflect the never-ending iterative cycle of technological advancement.
Web Design
Agency Landing Page
Web Design
Agency Landing Page
Web Design
Agency Landing Page
"
Great work on this, Dylan...really love it. Luxury badass vibes for days...excited to get this brand direction released into the wild.
Jevan Fox
VP of Sales, AE Studio
"
Great work on this, Dylan...really love it. Luxury badass vibes for days...excited to get this brand direction released into the wild.
Jevan Fox
VP of Sales, AE Studio
"
Great work on this, Dylan...really love it. Luxury badass vibes for days...excited to get this brand direction released into the wild.
Jevan Fox
VP of Sales, AE Studio
