Emerald Scientific: Brand Refresh & Scalable Design System
Project Overview
Emerald Scientific, a leading distributor of scientific testing supplies and equipment, needed a cohesive brand identity to reflect its evolving mission and market position. The brand lacked consistency across digital, print, and physical touchpoints, weakening brand recognition and causing inefficiencies in creative production. Without a unified visual identity, customer trust and market differentiation were diluted, making it harder for the brand to stand out in a competitive industry.
Over three months, I led a comprehensive brand refresh, working closely with the executive team and an external agency to define the company’s Mission, Vision, Values, and Tone of Voice. I then translated these foundational elements into a robust brand style guide and scalable design system, solidifying Emerald Scientific’s visual identity, voice, and messaging to ensure a strong, cohesive presence across all platforms.
Key Initiatives & Execution
Brand Strategy & Identity Development
- Led executive workshops to define the company’s Mission, Vision, Values, and Brand Voice, ensuring alignment across all departments.
- Developed customer personas to shape a brand identity that resonated with key audiences.
- Established a clear, adaptable tone of voice for use across all content, from marketing materials to corporate communications.
Brand Style Guide & Template Creation
Built a comprehensive, scalable brand system to standardize all visual and verbal branding elements:
- Logo Refresh: Modernized the existing logo while maintaining brand recognition.
- Created a new logo for the Canadian division, aligning it with the global brand identity.
- Typography & Color System:
- Defined primary and secondary fonts for print and digital applications.
- Established a multi-platform color guide (CMYK, RGB, PMS, HEX).
- Created a color percentage & gradient chart for consistent design application.
- Visual Guidelines:
- Developed image specifications to define subject matter, lighting, and brand tone.
- Created examples of digital ads, corporate stationery, and business cards to set standards for future design.
- Template Library:
- Designed XD, Dreamweaver and Pardot templates for web layouts, emails, landing pages, and digital design.
- Developed INDD templates for marketing and sales materials.
- Created AI and PS templates for various visual designs and creative elements.
- Built PPTX templates for training materials, webinars and executive presentations.
Brand Presence & Social Media
Internal & External Brand Launch:
- Developed an internal brand rollout plan, ensuring team members understood and embraced the new identity.
- Created a brand transition strategy for external stakeholders, including customers and partners, to gradually introduce the new branding without confusion.
Social Media Overhaul:
- Updated logos, header images, and bios across LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
- Developed brand-aligned messaging for social media summaries and “about” sections.
- Standardized post templates for consistent visual branding across platforms.
Website & Digital Transformation
- Converted the main brand style guide into a website style guide with detailed CSS specifications for all theme elements.
- Rebranded three divisional WordPress websites, ensuring brand consistency while preserving each division’s unique positioning.
- Replatformed the eCommerce site, ensuring adherence to the new brand website style guide across all elements.
- Conducted UX improvements and brand consistency checks across all web properties.
Marketing & Sales Collateral
Sales & Marketing Materials:
- Redesigned all sales decks, brochures, and one-sheets, ensuring a polished, on-brand presentation for B2B clients.
- Standardized trade show handouts, making them modular for different audiences.
- Streamlined presentation materials, ensuring the sales team had ready-to-use, on-brand assets.
Swag & Promotional Items:
- Researched and ordered new branded promotional items for trade shows, customer visits, and client appreciation.
- Focused on high-quality, practical items that aligned with the brand’s professional, scientific identity.
Trade Show & Packaging Design
Trade Show Booths:
- Designed two new booth backdrops (10ft and 20ft) able to be used for trade shows in multiple market sectors, reducing booth storage costs and streamlining event participation logistics, and simplifying setup and teardown.
- Created a modular, reusable booth design that could be adapted for different event spaces, reducing future costs.
Packaging Design:
- Designed packaging for two new private label products, ensuring regulatory compliance while maintaining brand aesthetics.
- Developed a consistent packaging system that could scale as new products launched.
- Updated all existing labels with the refreshed logo and fonts as they were reprinted, phasing in the new branding without disrupting operations.
10-Year Anniversary Campaign
To celebrate Emerald Scientific’s 10-year milestone, I led a year-long brand and marketing campaign focused on reinforcing the company’s expertise, longevity, and the value it brings to customers.
- Logo & Visual Identity:
- Designed a special 10-year anniversary logo to be used across all marketing channels.
- Integrated anniversary branding into email signatures, business cards, and collateral.
- Website & Digital Assets:
- Created a dedicated 10-year campaign page highlighting Emerald’s history and industry impact.
- Developed website banners and promotional graphics with anniversary messaging.
- Marketing & Messaging:
- Updated all marketing language to emphasize 10 years of leadership in scientific testing product supply and service.
- Crafted customer-focused messaging that positioned Emerald’s experience as a competitive advantage.
- Social Media & Content Strategy:
- Planned a content calendar featuring key milestones and industry impact stories.
- Launched a "10 Years of Expertise" campaign showcasing product and service advancements over the decade.
- Encouraged community engagement through team spotlights and industry partner collaborations.