Description:

Ideally came to us a minimum viable product concept for customer research, without a brand or decided name. It was a research tool that could empower more people to bring customer voice into their concept development, projects and workflows.

Today most research for new product development, creative development and concepting is mediated by insights professionals and external agencies and providers. Ideally were making a tool people could use directly, and doing it for a much more affordable price, delivering results in 48 hours. The goal being to make something that more people could use, more often, to get the customer insight into ideas and so grow better, bigger, greater ideas.

In finding the brand tone for the project we were mindful that we wanted to avoid research cliches, and also the emerging cliches around AI companies. Many AI companies are moody and dark, or hyper-realistic or with research and data themes.

As an extension of our brand idea, we thought about the places in culture that embrace and showcase great ideas — where ideas are lifted up and discussed and talked about — places like art galleries, museums and places of learning. These creative institutions have influenced the optimistic tone and creative behaviours of Ideally.

To capture this Ideally aims to be an ‘Institute of Ideas’, where ideas are discussed, celebrated and elevated.

Museums and galleries have their own distinct identities but are also flexible design systems to be frameworks for content (out of their immediate control). These types of brands inspired the graphic identity for Ideally, and how it needs to operate both in the product with customer content, and in high level brand communications.

The graphic language is built off of a generative ‘eye’ which references the ‘i’ in ‘idea’s and quite literally ‘human’ insights. It’s a visual metaphor for exploring ideas and searching for possibilities.

The overlapping shapes are about elements coming together to create new things — like a venn diagram, emphasising the possibilities of developing and generating new ideas from existing thoughts and insights. Constantly learning and growing.

It was vital to have a rich and extensive graphic language, as Ideally is a platform and frame for other ideas and imagery. We needed to have an identity that allowed us to tell many stories, and turn up in social spaces and reports in distinctive and engaging ways.

Our goal of supporting faster growth through creating a design and brand-led company has been met. Ideally are one of the fastest growing start-ups in Australasia. In 11 months in market the company has annualised revenue of $2.8m and more than 100 customers including companies like Asahi, ASB and Yealands.