BlueSkyAI
Creating a timeless identity and brand personality for BlueSkyAI. Finding the balance between AI and human touch.
The Challenge
BlueSkyAI is a software development company that builds solutions to automate business operations. As a company focused on AI solutions, they began their brand journey by developing content and creative assets with existing generative tools. However, these AI-generated designs lacked accessibility standards, design principles, and originality. Our challenge was to create a foundation of authenticity and find a balance between machine and human creation for the overall brand.
Goals & Approach
The goal was to create a brand identity and website for the overall brand launch. In auditing BlueSkyAI's past content and designs, I could discern the visual goals they wanted to express through their AI suggestions. I then began by directing a brand development session with the chief stakeholders to understand how they envision their brand. After capturing their visual wants, genuine values, and fun personality, I approached the logo and brand concept with a foundation of humanity.
Discovery & audit
I reviewed BlueSkyAI's generated logo, content, colors, and visuals used. I used accessibility tools to understand where they lack/meet standards. I also analyzed similar competitors to know how they compare.
Brand exercise
With stakeholders, I led exercises to identify what their brand is (and is not), its core pillars, personality traits, and voice. These discussions guided the team to expand on human characteristics to solidify their brand vision.
Brand concept
The core brand personality embodies an authentic, innovative spirit with a friendly and simple approach. Through a voice and tone that is relatable and approachable, we can build more genuine connections with our audience.
Logo concept
"The Burst." I created a logo icon concept that visually symbolizes the company's name and sunny blue skies with a minimalist, dynamic, recognizable image of a burst that remains unique in a timeless, accessible shape.
The Solution
"Automating and improving lives simply." We launched the BlueSkyAI brand with an authentic, innovative, friendly, and simple personality. I designed a memorable logo adapted to all environments with a detailed brand guide for all implementations. With a mission to "automate and improve lives in simple ways" and having 10% of their profits go to environmental causes, helping "bluer skies," I wanted to highlight their incentives. I constructed brand visuals by layering technology and abstracted skies, then developed a color palette, pulling bright colors from natural sky photography. Starting from a place of authenticity in visuals and content, we can further connect to our audience.
Brand launch
I developed the overall visual brand system, the new logo, and various assets for the website, social media, digital, and print media. This included testing accessibility and implementing standards across the brand.
Website launch
I led the creation of the first BlueSkyAI website, strategizing the user flow and designing unique visuals to support the web content storytelling. I also created a unified component system for easier development.
Brand guides
I executed a complete brand guide outlining voice & tone, personality scale, and visual brand principles. This guide includes the BlueSkyAI mission, accessibility standards, and examples of how to expand on branding.
Internal handoff
Upon completion, I collaborated with the BlueSkyAI marketing team to hand off all files and direct the team on how this brand guide should be a foundational launch point, not a limitation, for their creativity.
Results & Impact
The company successfully launched with prepared marketing assets and a quickly onboarded marketing team using our detailed brand guidelines and scaleable design systems. After launching the new brand and website, we saw increased user engagement across social platforms. As BlueSkyAI continued to launch more content, blog posts, and podcasts with an authentic voice, we continued to see growth in interactions and interest across platforms.
Conclusion
The success of building this foundational brand starts with authenticity. Directing exercises and discussions with stakeholders on their brand identity brought a new perspective to how their brand is perceived. In understanding their brand goals, personality, and voice, we jointly set standards for future development. AI tools can be excellent for quick research, concept creation, automation, and high-level insights. However, when making genuine connections with your audience, you must use your voice and originality to make a significant impact.
