Table of Contents
Step 1: Starting with the WHY?
Back in 2012, when collaboration over email was the typical method for design review and approval, we realized that this process was highly ineffective and a significant bottleneck for the entire design process. Things got lost in the communication process, and it was wasting time on both ends.
So, we asked ourselves whether we could reinvent the way designers collaborate with clients and team members. We knew we needed an innovative solution.
At the time of its inception, our founders had one focus: finding a solution for designers to collaborate effectively. More importantly, it was to facilitate the process of digital feedbacks so much that they became just as easy and understanding as an in-person review. We wanted the users of this platform to feel that the digital space is their strength, not a barricade preventing them from implementing easy solutions.
As the company grew, we listened to hundreds of customers to understand their needs and consider how GoVisually could help streamline processes. We rapidly added new features and eventually developed a clear vision of our purpose.
GoVisually became a brand that designers and companies around the globe used and loved.
So why change?
Well, our initial years were feature-oriented, and we focused all our energy on ensuring we solved the right problems. We bootstrapped our brand, and it worked great in the early years. However, as we grew, we started to face inconsistencies in how we used our brand and the tone of our voice. Moreover, our methods of communication became fragmented.
We knew we needed a fresh start.
Step 2: Finding the Right Partner
Once we decided our brand could use a little rebranding magic, we knew we needed a creative team to help our vision come to life.
However, these days, the business world is brimming with digital marketing agencies, each claiming to be the best of the lot. Everywhere you go, there is a digital marketer who promises they’ll fix all your life’s problems. And as enticing as that sounds, we needed a partner who’d understand and share our passion to make the design process easier.
So how did we choose the right one?
It took time, we wouldn’t lie.
Choosing the right team for your creative vision is arguably the most crucial step of the entire process. Unless you find the optimal team of people to work with, i.e., people who share the same mindset, passion, and dedication to your vision as you, it’s hard to accomplish any significant results.
So, we carried out a thorough research process and listed down all the precise qualities we were looking for in a creative team. We narrowed down exactly what we wanted and why. This little step of some extra planning can make all the difference.
It enabled us to be aware of what we needed, and then know what to choose. Unless you are aware of your own needs, you can’t expect to explain it to others.
In this way (and perhaps with a little stroke of luck), we finally found a great creative studio to work with, called “Little & Big.” Based in Sydney, Australia. This digital team was the perfect fit for our needs, and we knew it right away.
Step 3: The Thought Process
As a company, our mission statement and our values are incredibly important to us. GoVisually was made with the vision of simplifying the feedback process so that the creatives can emerge even stronger and appealing. We strive to make the experience meaningful for our users by providing them with features that make their feedback real-time and easily traceable.
As we worked on rebranding GoVisually, we let our principles lead the way and determine what’s most important to us.
Our priorities with our brand were what took center stage, and we made sure that everybody working on this project knew exactly what we were aiming towards. Sure, implementing a system of SMART goals was reasonably important. But not without a crystal clear, sharp vision about our future.
Therefore, the first step was to deconstruct our brand principles and then reshape them into how we collectively perceived GoVisually and what it represents. This meant the feeling we got when we thought about what this brand means to us.
There were four words that we settled on: easy, authentic, creative, and active.
These words sounded just right, almost like what we would say if asked to be described in a few words. We knew it was what we were and what we wanted to become.
What About Our Promise to Customers?
As a brand, customer satisfaction has been and continues to be one of our top priorities. Hence, this was an essential factor to consider while rebranding our business.
You can even preview some of the fantastic client feedback that we have gotten over the years. This is the stuff that keeps us going and motivates us to help you guys in even more creative ways!
But anyway, after settling on our renewed brand principles, we began to brainstorm about the real purpose of our business. In other words, what was it that we wanted to deliver to our clients?
We came up with three primary brand attributes:
1. MOVEMENT
GoVisually is all about getting things moving, removing stagnation, and streamlining the process of approvals.
2. MARKS & ANNOTATIONS
The most tried and true way to give and receive feedback is by scribbling it on by hand. Think highlighters, squiggly lines, and nostalgically familiar interactions.
3. THE CREATIVE PROCESS
It’s a work-in-progress. We play with the behind the scenes elements of design such as grids and rulers - after all, we’re discussing the semantics of pixels.
Step 4: Delivery of Options
The next step was to take these attributes and begin to form a visual language around them. We crafted a mood board to set the tone for photography, graphic elements, illustration styles, colors, and typography.
Our goal for the final brand identity was for it to spark a ‘ha-ha’ moment with our target audience, or put – to be relevant and engaging.
Of course, one of the challenges we had to consider was relevancy. This included research on the workflows of other creatives and their existing pain points. What problems might GoVisually be solving, and how might we approach sharing this, visually?
The most relevant inspiration to the brand’s new look and feel came from the tools that creative experts often use while designing. We looked at the grids and guides of digital tools as well as those found in notebooks while sketching. We took inspiration from shapes that encouraged movement or hinted at work-in-progress.
In terms of illustration, we wanted a format that would allow for both detailed pieces as well as abstract so that we could depict work-in-progress. We chose an illustration style that was built from simple shapes and lines and kept to a bold and playful palette of primary colors.
Step 5: Using GoVisually to Get Feedback
What could be better than us using our own platform to ease the rebranding process for us? We never really did think of it, but when it came to revisions, feedback, and collaborating with our partners, we actually found GoVisually to be a great collaborative tool.
We know it sounds almost market-y, but believe us, it did make things so much easier for us. Rather than meeting every other day to discuss plans and designs, we could simply do them over the digital space. Not only it saved us time and resources but motivated us to focus on the branding aspect even more. Instead of spending hours on revisions, we could now focus on the brand itself and let GoVisually take care of the feedback board.
The ability to work with our systems and strategies gave us hands-on experience as to what our clients receive from us. In other words, we shifted sides for a minute and became customers of our own business. It was interesting.
As we got help from GoVisually for our own design needs, it made us realize why we started this venture in the first place and just how important it was – if we say so ourselves. Things like these encourage us, even more, to remain dedicated to our purpose.
Meanwhile, while designing the new logo and web interface, we were able to effortlessly and efficiently communicate and collaborate with our creative team at Little & Big. Using our tools, we were indeed able to make the work process increasingly efficient for us.
So in this way, we used our software to continually change, restructure, and enhance our designs until we were delighted with the results. It was the ideal way to give or get consistent feedback, and that is what we needed at the time.
Step 6: The Implementation
To successfully rebrand GoVisually, it was crucial for us not just to stick to our newly recrafted mission statement (and principles), but also to stay consistent with the work. This project required a lot of dedication and commitment, and it was important for the whole team to be on the same page.
GoVisually was already a useful tool for many creative teams, but the branding had taken a backseat while finessing the platforms’ user experience. The next step and consequently, our goal was to help create a brand identity for GoVisually that resonated with their target audience: the creative industry.
Moreover, we’d realized that our brand image was an unquestionably important aspect of our business. It’s the first thing that our customers saw. Hence, the first thing that demonstrated our abilities as a creative team of professionals. After all, if we couldn’t effectively communicate amongst ourselves, how could they expect us to help them with it?
As we worked together, we made sure to keep the big picture in perspective. We used our tools to collaborate with designers in the process. Working in an environment of true synergistic expression, we eventually managed to build a whole new identity for our brand.
Step 7: The End Result
As we applied the final touches to our upgraded brand image, it felt like GoVisually was a phoenix rising from its ashes, ferocious and beautiful, right after rebirth.
Just after two months of focused work and dedication, we had managed to rebrand our entire business! This meant external factors such as logo and outlook. But also (and more importantly), the internal ones like principles, team spirit, and priorities!
We take pride in how we replaced everything we outgrew as a company with the right attributes at the right time. The results turned out amazing. Moreover, we successfully managed to turn a mere visual dream into actual virtual reality. And you can do it too!
For too long, we had let our social image deteriorate instead of giving it the upgrade it deserved. And we know why. We know it is hard to know where or how to start. But we hope that these seven steps help encourage you to start too. Because the truth is, that’s all it takes, beginning the process. The rest will follow.
Now looking at the outcome, we can gladly say that we’re proud to have made this decision. As you can see from the images, it was worth the effort and a word of advice? A little rebranding can go a long way! You might think that you don’t need it for your business at the moment but take it from us, you do!
Your brand is your identity and represents your core values. We hope you can learn from our rebranding experience and use it to upgrade your business!
Credits / Creative Agency – Sakura Rimal from Little&Big
