Civic Financial Services is a private lending company specializing in hard money loans. Having started with a few people in a tiny room, the private lending company experienced exponential growth and requested assistance with a new brand identity. When our team began, we quickly learned that they needed much more than a visual facelift to maintain their success.
Instead of focusing on visual identity, our team advised Civic to begin with discovering their brand story. Using a SWOT analysis, we identified key areas the company needed to shift and discovered innovative digital solutions that gave Civic a strategic edge.
With a clear understanding of what Civic brings to the industry, we came up with core values and a brand essence that was authentic to the heartbeat of their company. Together we decided on the concept of “breakthrough”, speaking to the barriers that they have overcome and the opportunities that are available when partnering with Civic.
After completing this brand architecture, we were able to proceed designing a brand identity that held firm to the company’s values. The “V” in Civic was used as a basis for the logo mark and combined the five core values with a set of wings to symbolize victory. The brand also uses a flexible color pallet that is used to identify different branches within their organization. With all of these components united, the brand is confident, sophisticated, and supportive, while leading Civic’s clients towards their achievements.
Since the initial launch of the brand, La Visual has continued to work closely with CIVIC on a continual basis. Included in these ongoing projects are producing social and digital marketing campaigns, constructing custom websites, and capturing photography and video content for use in brand collateral. Since the launch of the rebrand CIVIC has increased their business growth rate by over 50%, with a 200% increase in marketing engagement. We are proud to have built such an outstanding brand and look forward to their continued success in the future.
ROLE: Art Director, Graphic Designer, Brand Strategist
DUTIES PERFORMED: Market Analysis, Competitive Positioning, Project Management, Brand Strategy, Brand Architecture, Rollout, Logo Design, Corporate Identity Design, Web Design, Collateral Design
Loadsmith is a third party logistics company forged by over 20 years experience in the transportation industry that needed a unique identity built from the ground up. Loadsmith had everything it needed to be a leader and realized that the 3rd party logistics model had to change. The La Visual team was determined to manifest this version of the brand.
Through our proven research and strategic process, our team at La Visual crafted an identity that was unlike any other competitor. We arrived at the brand mark, by exploring a Hungarian legend that told of a mythical white stag that led its followers to discover new prosperous lands. Contemporarily, the stag is a sign of outdoorsmanship, tradition, and self-sufficiency. The stylized antlers, were made to represent the ample crossover of shippers and carriers teaming up together. These two audiences cannot exist without the other, and despite a bumpy history between them, our visual language and messaging helped bridge the audience gap.
Though the brand had been completed, our work wasn’t over. In addition to brand strategy, Identity, and rollout, our team worked to produce countless of collateral pieces and a website to help the client secure 2MM in seed funding. Since it’s launch on October 1st of 2019, Loadsmith has had a 150% growth rate that continues to sky rocket each month.
ROLE: Graphic Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Market Analysis, Brand Positioning, Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Collateral Design
Our team at La Visual developed an identity concept for a new luxury skincare product line. This line introduced a cutting-edge sun care technology and was backed by celebrity endorsement. While the concept was well received, seed funding was not established in time to make this concept a reality. Nevertheless, the concept remains strong and the work showcases the potential of what a premium skincare brand can embody.
The emblem and visuals were inspired by the Greek myth of Icarus and the name “Le Soleil” was derived using the French word for "Sun". Since the product uses new sun care technology that effectively tricks the sun to protect your skin, we reimagined the character of Icarus in the form of a modern goddess that had conquered the sun. While most luxury products can be neutral and monochromatic, Le Soleil was designed to be youthful and vibrant reflecting the innovative nature of the product and bring life to a bland and oversaturated market.
ROLE: Graphic Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Market Analysis, Brand Identity, Collateral Design
Kor Water is a reusable insulated bottle company that specializes in BPA Free water bottles with a unique and innovative design to help keep you hydrated. First introduced in 2007, Kor made a big splash in the market when appearing in the movie Iron Man 2. This helped the company establish a massive following overnight, but since then have struggled to remain relevant and maintain a fanbase.
Jumping right in, our team at La Visual first conducted a marketing audit and analysis, which identified clear obstacles. Since the brand’s launch, Kor had been in a position of imitating key players in the field by attempting to create a lifestyle brand instead of focusing on the pillars that made their product different. The solution was simple, develop a social strategy and campaigns that demonstrate the advanced engineering, sleek design, and product innovation that differentiated Kor in the target market. Using photography, 3D renders, and crafting confident messaging our team built a campaign that successfully struck a chord with Kor’s key audience and set the brand on track for continued future success.
Since the launch of the Rediscovering our Kor campaigns and La Visual’s social media management was implemented, Kor has seen a 550% increase in social conversions with a 14% increase in followers. Even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Kor has managed to stay above the plummet of water bottle market sales by 12% and continues to rise each day.
ROLE: Art Director
DUTIES PERFORMED: Market Analysis, Competitive Positioning, Project Management, Copy Writing, Marketing Strategy, Animation and Video Direction
Magmatic is a new smoke machine brought to you by Elation, the company behind some of the world’s biggest atmospheric effects and light shows. When Elation approached our team, to create a brand for this new product, we got started with our detailed research and branding process. After conducting a comparative market audit, we emerged with a unique position and built a brand to delineate, define, and disrupt the target market.
The concept resulted into what you see now, the brand visuals borrow shapes and aesthetic elements commonly associated with the sci-fi or cyberpunk genre. These solid and structural imagery is used to illustrate the inherent reliability and sturdiness of the product. These graphic elements are also paired with a modern-retro aesthetic to represent the innate intelligence featured in the Magmatic product. Standing proud on the foundation of research and process brought to you by La Visual, Magmatic is ready to erupt on the scene.
ROLE: Art Director, Graphic Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Market Analysis, Naming, Brand Positioning, Brand Identity, Collateral Design
Brilli is a lighting company that makes bulbs backed by science and designed to align natural biological rhythms to improve sleep, energy, mood and more. Since it’s inception, Brilli had done well selling their product online, but we’re making the move to sell in brick and mortor stores across the America. La Visual was brought on to create product packaging for store shelves and reorient Brilli as a unique and differentiated wellness brand in the lighting marketplace.
After leading our team through our process, we found that Brilli’s old packaging failed to associate with the trends and key indicators of a wellness brand. We conducted a market audit that identified that design principals such as negative space, balance, and minimalism would help align Brilli with their target market and successfully appeal to their core audience’s emotional benefits. With this in mind we dialed in on a quote from the founder stating “Brilli doesn’t just light up rooms of the house, they light up the people in them”. By taking full advantage of the client’s lifestyle photography and maintaining their vibrant brand colors, our team succeeded in making beautiful and bold packaging designs representing Brilli’s key points of differentiation.
Mid-project, Brilli came to the conclusion that this bold new look was too radical of a departure from their past packaging. They then set out to use the work that La Visual completed to seek a solution that would gain more consensus in their organization. We applaud their efforts and hope the best for their new road to retail. After all, we are happy to have been able to push the needle even a bit towards a stand out and differentiated brand.
ROLE: Art Director, Graphic Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Market Analysis, Strategic Positioning, Project Management, Packaging Design
TiVo has been a household name in the broadcasting industry ever since they pioneered the digital video recorder in the 90’s. Since their inception, TiVo has struggled to remain a leader in the industry with DVR’s becoming vastly more available through competitors. With the decline in sales, La Visual worked with TiVo to bring their new streaming service into the modern era by creating packaging concepts.
While reimagining their packaging, we realized that TiVo’s rich history could be inspiration for the future. This concept took initial inspiration from the VHS and Video tapes of old, imagining them in a new light and more edgy aesthetic. What emerged was a strong and vibrant new look with a rigid grid system and beautiful gradients. This product minimized the more playful elements of the brand and helped solidify the Stream as the younger, cooler offspring to the prior products Tivo was producing.
ROLE: Graphic Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Market Analysis, Packaging Design
On 01/11/2019, Spire’s members and staff came together to create the gift of a Brand identity for an organization doing good in the world. Gamebreakers Academy, exists to mentor and inspire young men to build lives that defy expectations through academics, athletics, and mentorship and was in desperate need for a brand. Over the span of 12 hours, we spoke with their founder, learned about the company’s values and built a visual system that helped Gamebreakers have a visual presence on the market.
The Identity itself was constructed from the concept of coming from broken homes. Kevin, the founder and Chaplain of the LA Rams, spoke at length about how many of the young men come from poverty and broken homes. The participants of the program are often written off and considered destined for a life of crime and drugs, but Gamebreakers Academy exists to break that cycle. By breaking the “G” in the logo we created a unique and striking identity that can be easily applied to both print and digital collateral.
ROLE: Art Direction, Graphic Designer, Facilitator
DUTIES PERFORMED: Identity, Branding, Strategy, Positioning, System Development
On May 12, the Spire community congregated for the 2018 Brandathon. This was held to create an identity for Osiris labs, who use augmented and virtual reality to improve human rights violations training.
Over the course of 12 hours, these creatives worked to craft a visual language. The final system employed the use of iconography and clean type. At the event end, the brand was gifted to the company to help further their work in championing human rights.
ROLE: Art Direction, Facilitator
DUTIES PERFORMED: Identity, Branding, System Development
The Boost Mobile Accessories is a collaboration between Boost Mobile, a leading mobile provider, and Ondigo. Boost Mobile Accessories serves Boost Mobile Customers with a quality accessory option that doesn't break the bank.
ROLE: Art Director - Crucial to the success of this product was the building of relationships and creating mutual alignment between an emerging brand and a well-established product.
DUTIES PERFORMED: Branding, Packaging Design, Marketing, Copywriting, Project Management
Spire is a non-profit organization focused on the community of professional designers and visual artists seeking faith through creativity. Spire serves to curate, moderate and instigate movement throughout the design and creative communities with original content on our website as well as special events with industry experts.
ROLE: CoFounder/Director of Membership
DUTIES PERFORMED: Brand Design, Project Management, Team Building, Marketing and Advertising
Rosebud is a non-profit cafe in Pasadena, CA engaged in building up the lives of homeless youth through mentoring, training and employment.
ROLE: Creative Director, Lead Design Consultant
DUTIES PERFORMED: Research, Branding, Print Design, Interior Design, Brand Positioning, Web Design, Organizational Assessment, Storytelling
Trader Joe's was founded on the idea of bringing exotic and hard to find food products to the local grocery store. During this personal branding project, I focused on bringing the south seas theme that Joe's was founded on back and updating to fit a more youthful and adventurous brand.
ROLE: Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Branding, Identity, Packaging Design, Print Design
The Fender Accelerator Tour was an activation by NCompass International where Eleven up and coming bands were outfitted with their own Fender branded van, a GoPro and a mini amplifier and set out on tour. The bands each captured different elements of touring through their various social media channels and shared the experiences with their fans using #FENDERXLR8R.
ROLE: Lead Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Branding, Van Wrap Design
Major League Gaming came to NCompass with the task to consult MLG with a team of designers to overhaul their brand and create a more recognizable application of their brand.
ROLE: Lead Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Branding, Iconography, Typeface Design
Activision came to NCompass with the task to create a space in which players and fans can interact with the games on display as well as engaging on a deeper level clearly and with excitement. Design criteria included signage, wall clings and booth graphics as well as early concepting.
ROLE: Lead Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Event Design, Branding, Environmental Design
The Adult Swim Drive-In 2015 Tour was an activation created by NCompass and Adult swim. NCompass created and activated a 15 city drive-in tour to reward and excite the Adult Swim fans. The events took place at unique and memorable locations across the country and fans were immersed in the irreverent world of Adult Swim; complete with an enormous projection screen, enchanting lighting, wacky Adult Swim costume characters, avant-garde art installations, local food trucks, fun photo opportunities, free pop corn and candy stands, trivia hosted by Adult Swim personalities and amazing prize giveaways including Sony PlayStations.
ROLE: Lead Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Branding, Event Design
Wipit is a mobile financial tech startup that was created to solve the growing challenge of pre-paid and cash consumers operating in an increasingly cash-less society. This lead to the creation of several Fortune 500 corporate products and partnerships, including Boost Mobile Wallet and Sprint Mobile Wallet.
ROLE: Creative Intern
DUTIES PERFORMED: Mobile UI/UX Design, Marketing Design
This Branding project was a capstone project at Azusa Pacific University where I acted as Creative Director with a group of students to update brand concept, logo, and application of Verizon in accordance with the current goals of the brand (Unforgettable, Loyal, Global).
ROLE: Creative Director
DUTIES PERFORMED: Identity, Branding, Print Design, Web Design, Team building
U4IC is Valley Spring Church's Youth Ministry that engages with High School aged kids to spread a passion for Jesus Christ and ignite joy in all that hear his word. U4IC (short for euphoric) stands for a constant state of joy and comes from the concept of "rejoicing always" found in I Thessalonians 5:16.
ROLE: Lead Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Brand, Print and Web Design
Bleed is a group design show that I participated in, where three different designers exhibited our individual work and created an exhilarating experience where anyone felt welcomed. In the gallery you were encouraged to participate and interact with the space. Our two part concept was "Bleed" - A. In reference to all the blood, sweat and tears each designer put into the project, and B. The print term "Bleed" which means to continue off the page. We wanted to bleed into others lives and become un-ignorable.
ROLE: Designer, Production Assistant
DUTIES PERFORMED: Identity, Branding, Print Design, Marketing, Environmental Design, Event Design
Lilly May is a Los Angeles based bakery that specializing in french macarons and special occasion desserts. This freelance branding project was created on the concept of the process it takes in such an elegant and precise concoction.
ROLE: Lead Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Identity, Branding, Print Design
Zombies mode; Shadows of Evil, is a mini game in Call of Duty featuring zombies and terrifying 40's themed levels. To promote the release of Call of Duty Blacks Ops III (BO3), Activision partnered with Magic Mountain Six Flags and NCompass to enhance their annual Fright Fest experience. To do this, NCompass created Shadows of Evil The Ride that included visual storytelling, décor, strategically placed triggers, branding, and live actors as Zombies.
ROLE: Lead Designer
DUTIES PERFORMED: Event Design, Environmental Design, Print Design