Designing Around ESI’s Standout Traits
The project was split into two main parts. First, we focused on designing a new visual identity, consisting of a new logo, typography, color pallet, visual/photography recommendations, and a voice and tone guide. We then got to leverage these new brand assets in a full website redesign.
Excited to dive into their brand, we kicked off the project meeting with several members of ESI’s executive leadership team, senior management, and members of their board. While we had a depth of knowledge from working on their internal applications, we wanted to better understand how ESI viewed themselves, what they understood about their customers, and their goals for this project.
With a clear picture of this, we shifted our attention to learning more about what customers thought of, and how they engaged with, ESI. Conducting interviews, surveys, and evaluating analytical data we were able to build a clear picture of who ESI’s customers are and the experiences they have with the brand.
Through this research, we what sets ESI apart from their competition, and the things that were important for us to communicate in their new visual identity. Words like, bold, modern, multi-faceted, interconnected, honorable, and dependable, kept coming up. So we got to work concepting ways to best showcase these traits.
The final version is a bold interconnected logo mark showing how ESI joins/works together to tackle complex projects. This new mark is now displayed proudly not just on their website, but on shirts, coffee mugs, marketing material, advertisements, trade-show banners, and more. Providing ESI with an identity that speaks to not just how they see themselves, but how they are viewed in the marketplace.
Showcasing Dozens Of Specializations In A Cohesive Experience
We then had the pleasure of using this fresh new identity on their new website. Building upon the insights we gathered from the brand strategy work, we knew the new website needed to showcase these same characteristics, while also accomplishing the three main business objectives:
- Improve the overall experience of researching consultants, areas of expertise, and case studies on both desktop and mobile devices.
- Increase ESI’s organic search ranking.
- Generate new leads for practice groups and regional offices.
With over 40 practice groups making up ESI, we focused heavily on information architecture and the journey a customer would take to quickly and efficiently locate the information they were seeking. Resulting in a design that leverages multiple types of landing pages and cross-linked content. Enabling exploration that’s easy and intuitive, both improving the customer’s experience and benefiting SEO at the same time.
The result is a responsive website that clearly articulates ESI’s areas of expertise, the services they offer, and highlights the most important aspect of the company — their consultants. All in a beautiful package that showcases what makes up ESI and strengthens their brand even more.
And it truly delivers results! The website has seen a tremendous increase in site traffic, with longer page views and more engaged visitors. Best of all, it’s allowed the company to reduce its SEM budget by more than 85%!
Finally, the business development department has been equally pleased. Leveraging a content strategy we helped put in place they are using social media and traditional marketing to drive people to select landing pages. These pages are then used to capture key project and contact information which is directed to correct practice group managers and new business employees.
