Branding a design studio

Starting in 2023, it was clear that the Good Bones brand needed a little love.

We found ourselves in the same position that many of our clients feel when they reach out for help. Our website felt stale and outdated, our copywriting lacked warmth and personality, and our logo was missing a clear concept. In a nutshell, the brand did not reflect our studio, our work, nor our value to our clients.

However, rebranding oneself is a challenge that every design agency recognizes as one of the most daunting tasks: should we overhaul the logo completely? Do we need a variable color palette? What do you think about these 47 different font choices? Without a clear direction, our North Star, we were completely lost in the sauce and eventually progress came to an abrupt stop: the Illustrator boards overflowed, the Photoshop layers went unnamed; the variables became overwhelming. That's when we hit pause and asked ourselves the critical question:

"Why not apply the same strategies we use for our clients to our own brand?”

That was our moment of clarity. We realized we were too focused on designing a brand and website for ourselves without considering our client-focused approach. It was time to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

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Designing a brand for your audience

For over a decade, we've crafted brand identities for a diverse range of businesses, from coffee roasters to cyber security firms to social justice nonprofits.

Our approach to design has evolved into a refined process rooted in a fundamental principle rather than a rigid formula: every design decision is driven by our clients' business objectives, not merely artistic instinct.

Whether it's choosing between blue or green, sans serif or slab serif, or deciding on a minimal or expressive style, our aim is to ensure that each element—every color, font, and graphic—contributes to a cohesive concept that brings our clients' vision to life.

When a new client approaches us for brand assistance, we resist the urge to immediately dive headfirst into design software. It is so important to immerse yourself in your client’s business and become an expert in their industry. Our initial step involves determining the target audience for the brand. Almost always, the brands we create aren't merely vanity projects for our clients; they represent a significant investment in their business. Therefore, our designs are tailored to their specific objectives and the needs of their target audience. Whether it's attracting new users, retaining existing customers, impressing discerning investors, or engaging potential donors. Our focus is always on addressing the needs and expectations of the most crucial group: the audience.

At Good Bones we love working with entrepreneurs of all stripes and walks of life. The true joy of our design process is meeting ambitious folks and learning about their passions. One moment, we're immersing ourselves in the nuts and bolts of SaaS technology platforms; the next, we're whisked away into the realm of travel and hospitality. Admittedly, pinpointing what unifies our diverse clientele was a bit of a head-scratcher. However, after some serious sleuthing, we realized it wasn't about the industry but the scale of the operations. We're all about supporting the underdogs: spirited small businesses, startups, and nonprofits where everything's at stake. We typically find ourselves working with teams of 1 to 50 members. Whether working out of their bedroom or a boardroom, there's something incredibly relatable and heartfelt about these go-getters venturing out to make their mark. It's like looking in a mirror and seeing a bit of ourselves.

At the end of this process we found our North Star: we design bold brands for ambitious nonprofits, aspiring startups, and scrappy small businesses.

Developing a concept

Our studio mantra is quite simple yet profound: 'We design brands to grow into, not out of.'

Think of it like shopping for a fast-growing toddler—you'd pick clothes a size or two larger for room to grow. Similarly, our clients are at the starting line of their business journey, aiming to stretch every dollar of their investment.

No one wants the hassle of rebranding just a year in! That's why we craft big, bold brands for the small players, providing them with the toolkit they need to succeed. This epiphany was a game-changer for our own rebranding and it reflects our studio name beautifully: we lay down a solid foundation for your business's future. Whatever new trends or 'coats of paint' come along, your business will stand strong, thanks to its ‘good bones.'

From then on, we began to articulate the reasoning behind our approach, crafting the initial versions of our taglines and promotional text. Slogans such as “we help the little guys get big” and “punch above your weight” emerged as key mottos, guiding us through the rebranding process of Good Bones.