Smart cities
Synchronizing mega players in the smart space.
Jacobs Solutions Inc. is an American international technical professional ser-vices firm. They provide engineering, technical, professional and construction services as well as scientific and specialty consulting.
The smart cities market is expected to register a CAGR of 13.9% over the fore-cast period and revenue is projected to increase from USD 457.18 Billion in 2021 to USD 1,427.84 Billion in 2030. Increased spending in emerging smart city solutions is expected to support revenue growth of the market.
Jacobs is a key leader in the space and incorporates many global and local partners, including second and third-tier cities. We were hired to name, brand and message their coalition and create multiple presentations for municipali-ty leaders and their constituents.
Synchronizing mega players in the smart space.
Jacobs Solutions Inc. is an American international technical professional services firm. They provide engineering, technical, professional and construction services as well as scientific and specialty consulting.
The smart cities market is expected to register a CAGR of 13.9% over the fore-cast period and revenue is projected to increase from USD 457.18 Billion in 2021 to USD 1,427.84 Billion in 2030. Increased spending in emerging smart city solutions is expected to support revenue growth of the market.
Jacobs is a key leader in the space and incorporates many global and local partners, including second and third-tier cities. We were hired to name, brand and message their coalition and create multiple presentations for municipali-ty leaders and their constituents.
The Jacobs partner group allows us to learn directly from the experts.
Jacobs has multiple partners for each of their capabilities. It is both intimidating and informative when we are able to exchange ideas amongst top engineering minds while working toward a unified goal. Massive web services and big data analytics are some service offerings we learned about and were able to incorporate in the programs we helped create.
The Jacobs partner group allows us to learn directly from the experts.
Jacobs has multiple partners for each of their capabilities. It is both intimidating and informative when we are able to exchange ideas amongst top engineering minds while working toward a unified goal. Massive web services and big data analytics are some service offerings we learned about and were able to incorporate in the programs we helped create.
Our design thinking process required a collaboration with the client that resulted in a beautiful, sophisticated name and logo that jumpstarted the entire brand.
We needed to simplify complex messaging and created presentations that not only explained things to less knowledgeable government constituents but also inspired them.
Harnessing hemp
Harnessing the power of hemp.
Botanex and Hempex offer integrated industrial hemp optimization including grow consultation, commercial extraction and scalable distillation.
We were approached by this budding extraction company to create a brand identity and distribution model for quick win revenue growth and investment interest. While not at all the same thing, the generalized cannabis industry had decades of headband wearing, jam band occultism cultural aesthetics we wanted to avoid. Our new brand was inspired by terraforming imagery and motifs with a plant-centric ethos: to heal, not to get high; clean and clinical, not heady. Human civilizations have always used and respected plants, as we do today. With the varied utility and championing of often outlawed plant-life, our brand wanted to reflect a respectful and high-end look for a modern era of hemp CBD in the market.
Along with a lifelong respect for the untapped utility of plants, this idea was also inspired by the seriously renewed subject of hemp production and extraction. The Botanex team quickly got to work on structuring a business model and inventing and building an industry-first extraction unit. With advances in technology along with government policy catching up to the times, the wide array of uses for plants like hemp have launched an entire cultural and innovation movement, a wave Botanex knew they had to get in front of.
Harnessing the power of hemp.
Botanex and Hempex offer integrated industrial hemp optimization including grow consultation, commercial extraction and scalable distillation.
We were approached by this budding extraction company to create a brand identity and distribution model for quick win revenue growth and investment interest. While not at all the same thing, the generalized cannabis industry had decades of headband wearing, jam band occultism cultural aesthetics we wanted to avoid. Our new brand was inspired by terraforming imagery and motifs with a plant-centric ethos: to heal, not to get high; clean and clinical, not heady. Human civilizations have always used and respected plants, as we do today. With the varied utility and championing of often outlawed plant-life, our brand wanted to reflect a respectful and high-end look for a modern era of hemp CBD in the market.
Along with a lifelong respect for the untapped utility of plants, this idea was also inspired by the seriously renewed subject of hemp production and extraction. The Botanex team quickly got to work on structuring a business model and inventing and building an industry-first extraction unit. With advances in technology along with government policy catching up to the times, the wide array of uses for plants like hemp have launched an entire cultural and innovation movement, a wave Botanex knew they had to get in front of.
Not first but different… and better.
On December 12, the United States Congress voted to pass the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, more commonly referred to as the Farm Bill. As well as including important policy extensions for certain areas in agricultural and nutritional policy for the next five years, the bill also confirms the legalization of hemp — the term given to cannabis containing less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — and provisions for its cultivation, transport and sale.
The regulatory doors have been opened and a flood of competition has begun to saturate the market. Companies have developed extraction devices that can be used for commercial scale hemp processes, taking the plant in its base form and turning it into crude which can then be sold for use in a seemingly endless array of products, from pharmaceuticals to raw materials for batteries. But where other companies want to extract as much hemp by-product as possible for wholesale use, Botanex seeks to become an innovator in Big Ag and Ag Technology, being THE precedent for education, new tech, finance and legal, pre and post-processing and market growth of not just hemp but plant extraction as a whole.
Connecting consumers with hemp.
Botanex seeks to integrate industrial plant extraction with smart technology, realizing the value of not just producing raw materials for multiple products but the connection between smart integration and sustainability, environmental benefits, people, communities and economies.
Not first but different… and better.
On December 12, the United States Congress voted to pass the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, more commonly referred to as the Farm Bill. As well as including important policy extensions for certain areas in agricultural and nutritional policy for the next five years, the bill also confirms the legalization of hemp — the term given to cannabis containing less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — and provisions for its cultivation, transport and sale.
The regulatory doors have been opened and a flood of competition has begun to saturate the market. Companies have developed extraction devices that can be used for commercial scale hemp processes, taking the plant in its base form and turning it into crude which can then be sold for use in a seemingly endless array of products, from pharmaceuticals to raw materials for batteries. But where other companies want to extract as much hemp by-product as possible for wholesale use, Botanex seeks to become an innovator in Big Ag and Ag Technology, being THE precedent for education, new tech, finance and legal, pre and post-processing and market growth of not just hemp but plant extraction as a whole.
Connecting consumers with hemp.
Botanex seeks to integrate industrial plant extraction with smart technology, realizing the value of not just producing raw materials for multiple products but the connection between smart integration and sustainability, environmental benefits, people, communities and economies.
Building trust
Smart solutions during a dark age.
The outbreak of the Covid 19 virus and subsequent government mandated lockdowns caused rampant panic and mistrust throughout the globe. Citizens mistrusted their governments and customers were trepidatious of the companies they patronized. We collaborated with folks from CBRE, Arrow Electronics, other independent engineering experts and smart tech companies to name, brand and message efforts to build trust within communities during an unprecedented time.
We helped present a roadmap of success with a comprehensive plan implemented by a multidisciplinary collaboration of industry thought leaders. Actionable deliverables, brief, coherent messaging and strong visuals were needed to articulate to people what companies promised to do in response to the novel virus and how they were going to keep their customers safe. We needed to speak to two categories: the people and the companies.
Smart solutions during a dark age.
The outbreak of the Covid 19 virus and subsequent government mandated lockdowns caused rampant panic and mistrust throughout the globe. Citizens mistrusted their governments and customers were trepidatious of the companies they patronized. We collaborated with folks from CBRE, Arrow Electronics, other independent engineering experts and smart tech companies to name, brand and message efforts to build trust within communities during an unprecedented time.
We helped present a roadmap of success with a comprehensive plan implemented by a multidisciplinary collaboration of industry thought leaders. Actionable deliverables, brief, coherent messaging and strong visuals were needed to articulate to people what companies promised to do in response to the novel virus and how they were going to keep their customers safe. We needed to speak to two categories: the people and the companies.
Losing trust is easy.
Building back confidence is our job. We created programs for both public and private facing entities that would succinctly communicate to customers and companies what to expect and procedurals that notified people exactly what companies were doing to keep them safe.
Losing trust is easy.
Building back confidence is our job. We created programs for both public and private facing entities that would succinctly communicate to customers and companies what to expect and procedurals that notified people exactly what companies were doing to keep them safe.
Public facing
SYMPTOM RECOGNITION. Smart device installations like infrared monitors and temperature sensors were built into entrances to predict illness in individuals and immediately alert them. INFORMATION TRANSPARENCY. In a public health crises, lack of privacy should not be the new norm. However, information such as whether you were recently in contact with someone who was diagnosed based on trackable location services helped inform people in real time so they could make a decision before, not after. CONTACT AVOIDANCE. Notifications on your devices of where an outbreak has happened so you can avoid those areas before even stepping out your door.
Public facing
SYMPTOM RECOGNITION. Smart device installations like infrared monitors and temperature sensors were built into entrances to predict illness in individuals and immediately alert them. INFORMATION TRANSPARENCY. In a public health crises, lack of privacy should not be the new norm. However, information such as whether you were recently in contact with someone who was diagnosed based on trackable location services helped inform people in real time so they could make a decision before, not after. CONTACT AVOIDANCE. Notifications on your devices of where an outbreak has happened so you can avoid those areas before even stepping out your door.
Internal facing
AIR QUALITY. Teams were deployed to score the quality of air and HVAC systems in pre-existing buildings and sophisticated sensors installed to send data constantly so measures can be taken to predict and assure quality of air indoors. SURFACE STERILIZATION. Drones, sanitation robots and other smart hardware that can detect and disinfect rooms and surfaces remotely. AIRBORNE AVOIDANCE. Since airborne transmission is by far the most common route for the spread of the virus, deescalating (or altogether avoiding) this type of spreading was one of our primary communication points to companies. How these companies reassured their customers was built on compliance to new measures and methods of ensuring sterilized interiors and transparent and instantaneous alerts to patrons.
Internal facing
AIR QUALITY. Teams were deployed to score the quality of air and HVAC systems in pre-existing buildings and sophisticated sensors installed to send data constantly so measures can be taken to predict and assure quality of air indoors. SURFACE STERILIZATION. Drones, sanitation robots and other smart hardware that can detect and disinfect rooms and surfaces remotely. AIRBORNE AVOIDANCE. Since airborne transmission is by far the most common route for the spread of the virus, deescalating (or altogether avoiding) this type of spreading was one of our primary communication points to companies. How these companies reassured their customers was built on compliance to new measures and methods of ensuring sterilized interiors and transparent and instantaneous alerts to patrons.
Trust. Technology. Transparency.
Our engineering and technology partners worked together to integrate (or create from scratch) building and software solutions to implement, monitor and adjust to the viral, governmental and societal climate as cases ebbed and flowed and restrictions relaxed and were reinstated.
Key features included ENERGY RESILIENCY: Cost-effective, sustainable, renewable and secure energy systems that were integrated and coordinated through energy services. HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS technology that lead to better diagnostic tools, better treatment for patients and devices that improved quality of life. INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE sensing technology that helped notify failures and potential failures of vital infrastructure like roads, bridges, waste and public spaces. HIGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDING structures using automated processes to control operations, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, security and other connected systems. SMART TECHNOLOGIES that could self-monitor and provided analytics and reporting; checking in on the health (no pun intended) of software and hardware. INTELLIGENT MOBILITY for alternative modes of transportation like public transit, ride sharing and electronic vehicles. SMART GOVERNANCE technology that supported better planning and decision making through democratic processes and transformed the way services were delivered. SMART-AND-CONNECTED LANDLORDS AND TENANTS who would use ubiquitous technology (like smartphones) to connect to people with businesses and government entities to help improve their environment and services.
Trust. Technology. Transparency.
Our engineering and technology partners worked together to integrate (or create from scratch) building and software solutions to implement, monitor and adjust to the viral, governmental and societal climate as cases ebbed and flowed and restrictions relaxed and were reinstated.
Key features included ENERGY RESILIENCY: Cost-effective, sustainable, renewable and secure energy systems that were integrated and coordinated through energy services. HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS technology that lead to better diagnostic tools, better treatment for patients and devices that improved quality of life. INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE sensing technology that helped notify failures and potential failures of vital infrastructure like roads, bridges, waste and public spaces. HIGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDING structures using automated processes to control operations, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, security and other connected systems. SMART TECHNOLOGIES that could self-monitor and provided analytics and reporting; checking in on the health (no pun intended) of software and hardware. INTELLIGENT MOBILITY for alternative modes of transportation like public transit, ride sharing and electronic vehicles. SMART GOVERNANCE technology that supported better planning and decision making through democratic processes and transformed the way services were delivered. SMART-AND-CONNECTED LANDLORDS AND TENANTS who would use ubiquitous technology (like smartphones) to connect to people with businesses and government entities to help improve their environment and services.
Kid’s health – gamified!
Kid’s health – gamified!
Playpal is a startup gaming and rewards company whose mission is to revolutionize children’s health through gaming.
Today, childhood obesity is a global epidemic and is considered one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century. For parents, the number one health concern they have for their kids is obesity and poor health. Children are now spending the majority of their free time with activities that are sedentary and are compounding this lifestyle with unhealthy diets.
A group of entrepreneurs and game developers wanted to fight against childhood obesity. With mobile augmented reality being the future of gaming (take a look at the impact of games like Pokemon GO) they built their first game for kids that requires the player to jog, skip and jump outside while also learning about good nutrition. But where do you go from there?
Kid’s health – gamified!
Playpal is a startup gaming and rewards company whose mission is to revolutionize children’s health through gaming.
Today, childhood obesity is a global epidemic and is considered one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century. For parents, the number one health concern they have for their kids is obesity and poor health. Children are now spending the majority of their free time with activities that are sedentary and are compounding this lifestyle with unhealthy diets.
A group of entrepreneurs and game developers wanted to fight against childhood obesity. With mobile augmented reality being the future of gaming (take a look at the impact of games like Pokemon GO) they built their first game for kids that requires the player to jog, skip and jump outside while also learning about good nutrition. But where do you go from there?
A name that elicits activity and commerce exchange simultaneously.
How do we get little Jimmy off the couch?
Before we came on, our client only had a game. This would not be enough on its own to tackle the monumental challenge before them. We needed to determine what was going to best help them achieve their mission, which was not to be just a gaming company but a health company. By partnering with restaurants and retail companies we were able to incentivize players by offering real-life rewards for achievements earned in-game. This led to us naming the company Playpal, which serves as the rewards platform that mobile games integrate with and members can track their activity and rewards status.
How do we get little Jimmy off the couch?
Before we came on, our client only had a game. This would not be enough on its own to tackle the monumental challenge before them. We needed to determine what was going to best help them achieve their mission, which was not to be just a gaming company but a health company. By partnering with restaurants and retail companies we were able to incentivize players by offering real-life rewards for achievements earned in-game. This led to us naming the company Playpal, which serves as the rewards platform that mobile games integrate with and members can track their activity and rewards status.
Put down the paddles for a minute and pick up a ball.
Casual activewear cool enough for school.
We don’t want you to stop playing games.
Games are exceptionally successful with crowdfunding sites, so we determined to launch a crowdfunding campaign for Playpal to raise money and spread the word. We conducted market research to get the most out our campaign and scripted, story boarded, casted and directed a promotional video for the crowdfund. Combining professional, educational aspects for parental use and light-hearted, whimsy for children, we took a startup for kid’s gaming and made a health and wellness platform to make healthy living fun.
We don’t want you to stop playing games.
Games are exceptionally successful with crowdfunding sites, so we determined to launch a crowdfunding campaign for Playpal to raise money and spread the word. We conducted market research to get the most out our campaign and scripted, story boarded, casted and directed a promotional video for the crowdfund. Combining professional, educational aspects for parental use and light-hearted, whimsy for children, we took a startup for kid’s gaming and made a health and wellness platform to make healthy living fun.
Beer personified
They are eating themselves.
Gone are the days of installing a few fermenters in a warehouse and opening the garage doors to a pouring of enthusiastic zythophiles. The independent brewery scene has become overwhelmingly saturated in recent years — in Denver especially. Even before the pandemic, the year 2017 had the most brewery closings in over a decade. But of course add the COVID-19 shutdowns into the mix and it was really like being kicked while you’re down.
More folks are moving to the city and its surrounding suburbs, many from states that have little to no craft brewery culture. While the product is and will always be the center of the industry, more and more people want first-rate service, varied beverage offerings and a cool place to hangout with friends and family.
They are eating themselves.
Gone are the days of installing a few fermenters in a warehouse and opening the garage doors to a pouring of enthusiastic zythophiles. The independent brewery scene has become overwhelmingly saturated in recent years — in Denver especially. Even before the pandemic, the year 2017 had the most brewery closings in over a decade. But of course add the COVID-19 shutdowns into the mix and it was really like being kicked while you’re down.
More folks are moving to the city and its surrounding suburbs, many from states that have little to no craft brewery culture. While the product is and will always be the center of the industry, more and more people want first-rate service, varied beverage offerings and a cool place to hangout with friends and family.
The art of drinking and differentiation in an overly saturated market.
For years, Grist Brewing Company noticed a dip in overall revenue, until it became apparent they could not remain in business unless something was done fast. While they originally thought they had a product quality problem, in reality what they needed was a solution in vibe.
There has been a disconnect between the culture of independent microbreweries and the expected experience of the restaurant service industry. Grist is taking the best of both worlds and mixing it up. The brewery and its taprooms have recruited top-notch service personnel to work side-by-side with the “beer geeks” that embody the true culture of craft beer. Operations have been aligned, products and systems updated and new avenues being pursued, including food, revamped interior, programming, entertainment… and brand.
The art of drinking and differentiation in an overly saturated market.
For years, Grist Brewing Company noticed a dip in overall revenue, until it became apparent they could not remain in business unless something was done fast. While they originally thought they had a product quality problem, in reality what they needed was a solution in vibe.
There has been a disconnect between the culture of independent microbreweries and the expected experience of the restaurant service industry. Grist is taking the best of both worlds and mixing it up. The brewery and its taprooms have recruited top-notch service personnel to work side-by-side with the “beer geeks” that embody the true culture of craft beer. Operations have been aligned, products and systems updated and new avenues being pursued, including food, revamped interior, programming, entertainment… and brand.
We formed an in-house retail outlet for custom merchandise which created a new source of revenue and took the brand out in the world.
You don’t have to hangout with the cool kids to be a cool kid.
With revamped products, service and locations, Grist didn’t want to stop at being a cool spot to get a craft beer or delicious cocktail in the suburbs. The brand direction was given the most attention in order to stand out on a national stage and have room to grow to a franchise-level company. While not located in the most densely populated areas with the most varied (mainly younger) demographics, we helped Grist prove you don’t need to be located in the hip neighborhoods to get folks to check you out. Grist’s unique brand, company narrative, culture and destination locations have allowed them to serve a more diverse audience usually only accessed by the “hippest” of establishments.
You don’t have to hangout with the cool kids to be a cool kid.
With revamped products, service and locations, Grist didn’t want to stop at being a cool spot to get a craft beer or delicious cocktail in the suburbs. The brand direction was given the most attention in order to stand out on a national stage and have room to grow to a franchise-level company. While not located in the most densely populated areas with the most varied (mainly younger) demographics, we helped Grist prove you don’t need to be located in the hip neighborhoods to get folks to check you out. Grist’s unique brand, company narrative, culture and destination locations have allowed them to serve a more diverse audience usually only accessed by the “hippest” of establishments.
From packaging and interiors to social media programs, compelling content and imaginative visuals told their company story that complimented the beer.
Love the haters
Take a vile of Botox and call me in the morning.
The aesthetic face and body business is booming, but how do you choose the right practice? Maybe you should ask your doctor.
FACE by MD is a facial and body rejuvenation center founded by people actually in the medical field. This aesthetic startup needed a comprehensive solution, including everything from practice feasibility to logo development, digital components, media ads and interior design. With the availability of inexpensive laser devices there is no shortage of facial aesthetic solutions. Like most healthcare, however, the level of service relies on the expertise of the individuals performing it. We were asked to differentiate this new practice which prides itself on all procedures being performed by a Doctor of Medicine.
Take a vile of Botox and call me in the morning.
The aesthetic face and body business is booming, but how do you choose the right practice? Maybe you should ask your doctor.
FACE by MD is a facial and body rejuvenation center founded by people actually in the medical field. This aesthetic startup needed a comprehensive solution, including everything from practice feasibility to logo development, digital components, media ads and interior design. With the availability of inexpensive laser devices there is no shortage of facial aesthetic solutions. Like most healthcare, however, the level of service relies on the expertise of the individuals performing it. We were asked to differentiate this new practice which prides itself on all procedures being performed by a Doctor of Medicine.
Blending beauty spa and plastic surgery environments was a key aspect for customers.
We wanted to blur the line between clinical and retail environments.
Our research revealed two very different perceptions of aesthetic procedure practices: plastic surgery practices were viewed in a similar way as hospitals and nonsurgical practices were viewed in a similar manner as spas or salons. We studied the existing market and determined we could create a new category for the practice. We wanted to position a nonsurgical facial and body aesthetic practice between a full-service surgical practice and a spa-type service. Many practitioners in nonsurgical practices are not medical doctors so we integrated the fact that all procedures would be performed by a medical doctor by naming the entity FACE by MD.
The juxtaposition of medical qualification and professionalism and the contemporary boutique environment has allowed FACE by MD to stand out in the crowd of beauty practices.
We wanted to blur the line between clinical and retail environments.
Our research revealed two very different perceptions of aesthetic procedure practices: plastic surgery practices were viewed in a similar way as hospitals and nonsurgical practices were viewed in a similar manner as spas or salons. We studied the existing market and determined we could create a new category for the practice. We wanted to position a nonsurgical facial and body aesthetic practice between a full-service surgical practice and a spa-type service. Many practitioners in nonsurgical practices are not medical doctors so we integrated the fact that all procedures would be performed by a medical doctor by naming the entity FACE by MD.
The juxtaposition of medical qualification and professionalism and the contemporary boutique environment has allowed FACE by MD to stand out in the crowd of beauty practices.
We created a series of ads for print, digital and social applications.
Outdoor ad campaigns proved exceptionally effective for our rejuvenation and cosmetics client.
We used the client’s cool-colored, professional yet comforting interior design as a baseline for their digital ecosystem.
Everything, down to staff wearables, was a reflection of the unique brand.
Changing pop culture
Changing pop culture.
An ongoing singer, songwriter competition was created to build a culture change for Pepsi cola in the Southeastern United States.
It takes 5 to 7 years to affect a significant culture change. We had to create a long-term solution to keep Pepsi out front and loud. In 2011, Coke sold 1.59 billion cases for 17 percent of market share. Diet Coke sold 926.9 million cases for 9.9 percent of market share, edging out Pepsi, which sold 891.5 million cases for 9.5 percent of market share. In the Southeastern United States, the percentage market share differentiation is far greater. Coke, first bottled in Vicksburg, MS, found itself the darling of the Deep South thereby cementing it as a “Southern” icon. A group of independent Pepsi bottlers offered us a challenge. Pepsi wanted to assert itself as ‘the’ definitive softdrink choice of Southerners. Define Pepsi as “A Southern Original” and help move the needle on market share in the Southeastern states.
Changing pop culture.
An ongoing singer, songwriter competition was created to build a culture change for Pepsi cola in the Southeastern United States.
It takes 5 to 7 years to affect a significant culture change. We had to create a long-term solution to keep Pepsi out front and loud. In 2011, Coke sold 1.59 billion cases for 17 percent of market share. Diet Coke sold 926.9 million cases for 9.9 percent of market share, edging out Pepsi, which sold 891.5 million cases for 9.5 percent of market share. In the Southeastern United States, the percentage market share differentiation is far greater. Coke, first bottled in Vicksburg, MS, found itself the darling of the Deep South thereby cementing it as a “Southern” icon. A group of independent Pepsi bottlers offered us a challenge. Pepsi wanted to assert itself as ‘the’ definitive softdrink choice of Southerners. Define Pepsi as “A Southern Original” and help move the needle on market share in the Southeastern states.
Our engaging UI interfaces really bring folks into the fold.
Music brings us all together.
Our research determined 4 major demo groups, all having very different cultural interests. We did however find a very strong common component within all 4 groups – Music. Our research then turned to how we could use music to solve an engagement issue. Attempting to affect culture change requires years of commitment. We need a long-term solution that caused continued involvement.
We designed a recurring music contest that is primarily social media and app driven. A conventional advertising component including radio, print ads, outdoor posters and point of sales supported the ongoing music contest by displaying QR codes for quick access to voting and competing. The point of sales efforts included specialty items like guitar picks and scan-and-win prizes as well as premium point based prizes like headphones.
Music brings us all together.
Our research determined 4 major demo groups, all having very different cultural interests. We did however find a very strong common component within all 4 groups – Music. Our research then turned to how we could use music to solve an engagement issue. Attempting to affect culture change requires years of commitment. We need a long-term solution that caused continued involvement.
We designed a recurring music contest that is primarily social media and app driven. A conventional advertising component including radio, print ads, outdoor posters and point of sales supported the ongoing music contest by displaying QR codes for quick access to voting and competing. The point of sales efforts included specialty items like guitar picks and scan-and-win prizes as well as premium point based prizes like headphones.
We designed premium giveaways to sweeten the sizzle.
Smarter everything
Smarter everything.
VIAI is a marketing and smart communications agency that plans and builds unprecedented experiences for innovative companies.
As a communications consultancy specializing in smart solution opportunities, VIAI helps connect related businesses with their customers. From comprehensive smart cities transformations to smart products and services, they bring creative perspective to a conventional thinking industry who, over the years, have begun to pivot into more disruptive, entrepreneurial and innovative markets. VIAI works with companies (who historically enlist conventional marketing tactics) to create new, contemporary media products that explains complex ideas simply. They help launch companies into new markets they may not have otherwise considered.
Smarter everything.
VIAI is a marketing and smart communications agency that plans and builds unprecedented experiences for innovative companies.
As a communications consultancy specializing in smart solution opportunities, VIAI helps connect related businesses with their customers. From comprehensive smart cities transformations to smart products and services, they bring creative perspective to a conventional thinking industry who, over the years, have begun to pivot into more disruptive, entrepreneurial and innovative markets. VIAI works with companies (who historically enlist conventional marketing tactics) to create new, contemporary media products that explains complex ideas simply. They help launch companies into new markets they may not have otherwise considered.
We named VIAI by combining via (by way of) with an “i” representing Internet. So communications by way of the Internet.
Creative + simple messaging for the digitization revolution.
While VIAI’s potential client base is very broad and non-industry specific, the common vertical for the type of work they take on is smart technology and smart solutions. Despite buzz words or trends in terminology (see IoT and “on the edge”) VIAI seeks to inspire clients and communicate to their customers with an emphasis on intelligent solutions, primarily via technology, digital innovation and smart systems. Industries they’ve worked in include the obvious like engineering, medical, energy and disaster relief to not so apparent smart solutions for beverage, real estate and educational enterprises.
Creative + simple messaging for the digitization revolution.
While VIAI’s potential client base is very broad and non-industry specific, the common vertical for the type of work they take on is smart technology and smart solutions. Despite buzz words or trends in terminology (see IoT and “on the edge”) VIAI seeks to inspire clients and communicate to their customers with an emphasis on intelligent solutions, primarily via technology, digital innovation and smart systems. Industries they’ve worked in include the obvious like engineering, medical, energy and disaster relief to not so apparent smart solutions for beverage, real estate and educational enterprises.
We connect smart companies with uninitiated customers by simplifying complex concepts.
It’s easier when your audience knows what the heck you do.
Some of the best new ideas never see the light of day, not because they aren’t viable, relevant or timely but because the market simply doesn’t understand them. VIAI’s team has been involved in smart communications solutions since the internet went commercial and they collaborate with clients to create relevant stories and viable outcomes. Inventing things and bringing unique, efficient and, quite frankly, better products and processes into the world is just half of the job. Articulating intuitive narratives and capturing customer buy-in is the other half to making ideas stick and creating new, exciting products for the betterment of society.
It’s easier when your audience knows what the heck you do.
Some of the best new ideas never see the light of day, not because they aren’t viable, relevant or timely but because the market simply doesn’t understand them. VIAI’s team has been involved in smart communications solutions since the internet went commercial and they collaborate with clients to create relevant stories and viable outcomes. Inventing things and bringing unique, efficient and, quite frankly, better products and processes into the world is just half of the job. Articulating intuitive narratives and capturing customer buy-in is the other half to making ideas stick and creating new, exciting products for the betterment of society.
An elegant name and business model needed an equally elegant brand and website.
Investment for all
Vesdor opens doors for the rest of us.
Vesdor is an online real estate platform which allows investment opportunities to non-accredited investors.
This real estate company had a problem—they were doing too much business. For 15 years they had been doing deals in one of the hottest markets in the country and wanted to expand exponentially. They needed to go digital, but a snappy website and marketing campaign alone wasn’t going to do it.
Vesdor opens doors for the rest of us.
Vesdor is an online real estate platform which allows investment opportunities to non-accredited investors.
This real estate company had a problem—they were doing too much business. For 15 years they had been doing deals in one of the hottest markets in the country and wanted to expand exponentially. They needed to go digital, but a snappy website and marketing campaign alone wasn’t going to do it.
When the Feds give you an opportunity like this you should take advantage.
When the Feds give you an opportunity like this you should take advantage.
In 2012, the JOBS act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act) was passed, relaxing many of the country’s securities regulations. Before this, real estate investing was only open to accredited individuals and groups. Now with fewer restrictions, non-accredited individuals could invest.
Our client challenged us to optimize their conventional processes, expand their geographic reach and find a way to broaden the investor pool.
We leveraged the “crowdfunding” process and technology to take advantage of the loosened criteria around non-accredited investing. Kickstarter and GoFundMe have set precedents for success in crowdfunding, so we simply applied it to real estate. By exposing the properties through a well-advertised web portal, we were able to increase inventory exponentially. We decided to set ourselves apart from other competitors by offering a lower minimum investment and target non-accredited investors.
When the Feds give you an opportunity like this you should take advantage.
In 2012, the JOBS act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act) was passed, relaxing many of the country’s securities regulations. Before this, real estate investing was only open to accredited individuals and groups. Now with fewer restrictions, non-accredited individuals could invest.
Our client challenged us to optimize their conventional processes, expand their geographic reach and find a way to broaden the investor pool.
We leveraged the “crowdfunding” process and technology to take advantage of the loosened criteria around non-accredited investing. Kickstarter and GoFundMe have set precedents for success in crowdfunding, so we simply applied it to real estate. By exposing the properties through a well-advertised web portal, we were able to increase inventory exponentially. We decided to set ourselves apart from other competitors by offering a lower minimum investment and target non-accredited investors.
While we digitized their conventional business their agents still needed traditional collateral for the road.
Conventional business to digital crowdfund platform.
Creating the name was quite a challenge. Our partner-client wanted a single name, one that sounded familiar and connotes investment. And it had to be a .com. Vesdor phonetically represents the word investor while warming it up a little (like “welcome through our door”). The brand reflects a simple, sophisticated consumer-driven product. Intuitiveness was paramount so the message is deliberate and straightforward and the back-end management hierarchy was reduced to only the necessary steps.
We also kept in mind SEC regulations and worked to cover our client’s legal interests.
Then we built a slick, modern site that acted more like an app than a website. Completely responsive and mobile-friendly, the ad campaign encourages the ability to “invest in real estate from anywhere.”
Through Vesdor, now anyone can invest in real estate.
Conventional business to digital crowdfund platform.
Creating the name was quite a challenge. Our partner-client wanted a single name, one that sounded familiar and connotes investment. And it had to be a .com. Vesdor phonetically represents the word investor while warming it up a little (like “welcome through our door”). The brand reflects a simple, sophisticated consumer-driven product. Intuitiveness was paramount so the message is deliberate and straightforward and the back-end management hierarchy was reduced to only the necessary steps.
We also kept in mind SEC regulations and worked to cover our client’s legal interests.
Then we built a slick, modern site that acted more like an app than a website. Completely responsive and mobile-friendly, the ad campaign encourages the ability to “invest in real estate from anywhere.”
Through Vesdor, now anyone can invest in real estate.
We designed their online investment platform to perform more like an app than a website.
In pursuit of the fantastic
Immersive atmosphere, artisan beer and spirits.
RARE by Grist is an immersive bar concept owned and operated by Grist Brewing Company and located in Lone Tree, Colorado. The craft beer and cocktail bar is a 4,500 square foot, 360 degree experience of Victorian-era steampunk, gothic and fantastical interiors with over 99 handcrafted adult libations that you’d just need to see (or drink?) to believe.
The inspiration behind the concept was twofold: On the business side, Grist Brewing Company had the resources (RARE is one of four locations, all located in the Denver metro-area) and knew they needed to be unique – but not just for uniqueness’ sake. We first defined the local demographic and re-named the location (at the time it was called Grist Lab) in order to differentiate it from Grist’s other holdings and to offer us a launchpad for the premium and unprecedented brand.
RARE would turn into a destination spot, drawing customers (and press) from the surrounding cities and would eventually become a word-of-mouth ma-chine (see the success of Meow Wolf). This was to be achieved by creating a wall-to-wall event exhibiting a cast of original dramatic personas and stories as well as interlacing beloved literary characters and tropes from our own world that would become a visual feast for customers. RARE was also to be-come the vehicle for the company’s immersive drinking experience, inter-twining the transformative taproom and bar environment with mixology drinks and incorporating in-house cocktail recipes and avant-garde, experimental brews crafted just a town over at Grist’s production brewery. RARE invites its guests to literally “drink the story” as their product incorporates into an ongoing tale of mythological proportions seen inside.
Immersive atmosphere, artisan beer and spirits.
RARE by Grist is an immersive bar concept owned and operated by Grist Brewing Company and located in Lone Tree, Colorado. The craft beer and cocktail bar is a 4,500 square foot, 360 degree experience of Victorian-era steampunk, gothic and fantastical interiors with over 99 handcrafted adult libations that you’d just need to see (or drink?) to believe.
The inspiration behind the concept was twofold: On the business side, Grist Brewing Company had the resources (RARE is one of four locations, all located in the Denver metro-area) and knew they needed to be unique – but not just for uniqueness’ sake. We first defined the local demographic and re-named the location (at the time it was called Grist Lab) in order to differentiate it from Grist’s other holdings and to offer us a launchpad for the premium and unprecedented brand.
RARE would turn into a destination spot, drawing customers (and press) from the surrounding cities and would eventually become a word-of-mouth ma-chine (see the success of Meow Wolf). This was to be achieved by creating a wall-to-wall event exhibiting a cast of original dramatic personas and stories as well as interlacing beloved literary characters and tropes from our own world that would become a visual feast for customers. RARE was also to be-come the vehicle for the company’s immersive drinking experience, inter-twining the transformative taproom and bar environment with mixology drinks and incorporating in-house cocktail recipes and avant-garde, experimental brews crafted just a town over at Grist’s production brewery. RARE invites its guests to literally “drink the story” as their product incorporates into an ongoing tale of mythological proportions seen inside.
We renamed each location and created an extraordinary cast of characters for a never-ending narrative the company could use to promote future products and continuously beguile new guests and regulars alike.
Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Colorado anymore.
But as fantastic as the aesthetics are, it’s not the only draw. In a market of options, where every bar, brewery and cocktail lounge are all vying for adulation amongst a population with plenty of choices, we realized the product and service offering also needed to step it up in order to stand out. We worked closely with the brewers, mixologists and upper management to create unique and crafted products and programs that carried the dense and be-witching brand beyond the interiors and visual folklore. The art and even three-dimensional fixtures were designed to immerse customers in a booze-fueled realm as well as to become a point of sales display system promoting the meticulously crafted beer and libations. Even magic needs to be built to be sustainable.
Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Colorado anymore.
But as fantastic as the aesthetics are, it’s not the only draw. In a market of options, where every bar, brewery and cocktail lounge are all vying for adulation amongst a population with plenty of choices, we realized the product and service offering also needed to step it up in order to stand out. We worked closely with the brewers, mixologists and upper management to create unique and crafted products and programs that carried the dense and be-witching brand beyond the interiors and visual folklore. The art and even three-dimensional fixtures were designed to immerse customers in a booze-fueled realm as well as to become a point of sales display system promoting the meticulously crafted beer and libations. Even magic needs to be built to be sustainable.
A sense of timelessness and wonder captured all the senses with curated music playlists, art on every wall, windows tinted in motley colors, smells of smoked old-fashioned cocktails and sweet herbs and clocks displayed throughout the restaurant that all failed to tell accurate time.
How to survive a pandemic by way of hocus pocus.
RARE by Grist debuted mere weeks before the outbreak of Covid 19 in early 2020. The federal government’s strict mandatory lockdowns all but crippled the bar and restaurant industry countrywide; so places needed to get creative with their limited ability to stay in business and make money. We created a series of ads for social media as well as print campaigns in local publications and large format art framed and displayed outside the location, easily seen from the nearby highway exit. The purpose wasn’t solely to generate to-go alcohol sales from the establishment (which did happen) but also to generate curiosity for the business using highly conceptual, wacky and even humorous art advertisements. When the mandates inevitably lifted, RARE would be ready. The campaign ginned up enough interest for the wholly new and completely unique bar concept and RARE quickly doubled its revenue from the pre-Covid days.
How to survive a pandemic by way of hocus pocus.
RARE by Grist debuted mere weeks before the outbreak of Covid 19 in early 2020. The federal government’s strict mandatory lockdowns all but crippled the bar and restaurant industry countrywide; so places needed to get creative with their limited ability to stay in business and make money. We created a series of ads for social media as well as print campaigns in local publications and large format art framed and displayed outside the location, easily seen from the nearby highway exit. The purpose wasn’t solely to generate to-go alcohol sales from the establishment (which did happen) but also to generate curiosity for the business using highly conceptual, wacky and even humorous art advertisements. When the mandates inevitably lifted, RARE would be ready. The campaign ginned up enough interest for the wholly new and completely unique bar concept and RARE quickly doubled its revenue from the pre-Covid days.
