PROBLEM

We started to outgrow the existing brand as the Garage business scaled.

• Tactically, the previous brand relied on visual elements that didn’t work in all the places we needed them to work. For example, thin strokes creating a revealed grid that represented the framework driven, process-oriented approach of the Garage, appeared pixelated in digital ads, or didn’t print properly at large scale executions like booth designs.

• Strategically, the IBM Garage had previously been tied closely to the IBM Cloud business unit and pulled from IBM Cloud’s blue, green, teal color palette. The IBM Garage began expanding across the company as a first point of engagement for clients prior to working more closely with any specific solution-based IBM group. To differentiate IBM Garage from IBM Cloud and position the Garage as an all-encompassing solution, we needed to differentiate and specialize the brand identity.

SOLUTION

I was able to be part of the IBM team that reimagined Garage’s strategic direction and visual identity. Our goal was to build an identity system that encapsulated the energy, expertise, and humanity of IBM Garage.

Working with my design partner, Francesco, we developed a dot grid as the core system that the brand would build on. We were inspired by moleskin notebooks, process driven sketches, and the idea of a gridded framework without the tactical limitations of a line grid. Next, we designed a pattern and illustration style that could used across many assets to communicate more abstract Garage themes like scale, speed, process, community.

I developed a photography style guide and worked with photographer, Emily Keegin, to capture IBM Garage workshop engagements so that we had a vast library of branded photography to pul from.

I then took our concepts, built out a style guide and worked with the Marketing Lead and Creative Director to rollout the new brand across the company. The rollout included updating the IBM Garage website, creating presentation templates, and creating a toolkit so other designers could apply the new identity.