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Bluap
Bluap Ltd has over 20 years’ experience in developing and integrating new operating and IT systems, delivering complex projects for myriad companies across multiple industries in Asia, Europe, UK and North America.
Category
Logo Design Visual Identity Web Design
Client
The problem
The current logo and visual identity was an off-the-shelf option chosen when the company was founded. Bluap Ltd also had no online presence.
The solution
In the initial discovery call, Paul and I agreed that a website was essential as Bluap’s first piece of online presence. The current logo and visual identity was in real need of a refresh and redesign to reflect Bluap’s professional service with a personal touch.
The goals
Modernise the Bluap Ltd identity
Adapt the colour palette
Create new logo lockups
Choose a new company typeface
Create a brand guidelines document
Create a new website on WordPress.com
Keywords
Blue
Transformation
Change
Bold
Intelligence
Trust
The process
We soon realised the project should be split into two parts, with the visual identity to be created first, followed by the website. I suggested this to Paul because brand consistency is important and the website design needed to follow brand guidelines. As the brand didn’t exist yet, I couldn’t get started on the website.
I researched colours, fonts and other ideas and concepts based on the agreed keywords. It was then time to put all that research into action.
I spent time sketching and creating my proposed logo design and making a brand presentation document to explain the creative process behind it.
I recorded a short video where I talked through the presentation and sent it over to Paul. I kept an eye on my inbox for his reply...
And the feedback was ‘you’ve nailed it!’ Paul didn’t quite put it like that perhaps, but because of our clear discussions and his involvement in the process from the start, I’d understood the ethos of Bluap and its objectives straight away.
The same process worked perfectly when it was time to build the website. After receiving all the information I needed from Paul, and explaining why I choose WordPress.com as the hosting option for any sites I build, I chose a template and got to work.
Once again, approval was given first time. A few technical tweaks and DNS updates later, Bluap’s new-look website (and its whole new look) were live for the world to see.
The research
With the name Bluap, it was clear that the hero colour of the new visual identity should be, well, blue. But I wanted to move away from the sky blue colour used previously, as this did not provide a lot of contrast against white. Contrast and legibility are key considerations, particularly when it comes to web design.
The two keywords that really stood out were ‘change’ and ‘transformation’. This made me think of butterflies and their wings, so I turned into David Attenborough for a while and researched those.
The original logo used the letter B prominently and I thought this was still a strong idea, but I wanted it to be a bit less obvious. So I looked at incorporating all the letters of BLUAP into a new logomark.
For the typeface, I focused on the keywords ‘trust’ and ‘intelligence’ but wanted something that felt modern rather than using a classic sans serif.
I put all these research ideas together on a moodboard, sketched some initial thoughts and then created the Brand Presentation document and video to send to Paul.
Colours
Blue is often linked to trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence and intelligence which fit Bluap’s ambitions.
I chose slightly darker blues to provide more contrast and authority and paired this with a lighter blue so as to not make the grouped logo too dark.
I followed a hero palette idea, with blue as the lead and neutrals to support.
Typography
I selected Manrope as the typeface for Bluap’s rebrand.
I chose this from Google Fonts, so it can be freely used to ensure brand consistency on all marketing materials with no licensing issues.
It is a slightly rounded sans serif to tie into the logomark, but still has enough gravitas to be relevant for serious business communications.
Final logo
The logomark combines all the letters in BLUAP and also a butterfly wing concept.
The curves allow for a more modern look and feel and by breaking the shape into two it provides more breathing space within the logomark and the logo as a whole.
The lettering has been customised so that elements of the l, u, a and p have been curved to complement the rounded edge of the logomark.
Website
With the visual identity signed off, it was time to work on the website.
I chose a template and sent it to Paul for his approval prior to the build. Once signed off, I added Bluap’s content and found royalty-free imagery to include.
After some testing, the site was live and ready to go. WordPress.com templates are responsive, so the site was optimised for desktop, tablet and mobile right away.
The (almost) final word
I loved working on this project and being given the opportunity to breathe new life into Bluap’s visual identity and launch its first-ever website.
And the logo has even been added to the sportswear of a local football team because Bluap now sponsors them!
But that’s enough from me, here’s what Paul had to say about working together.
Testimonial
“Having worked with Craig before I was confident that he would be able to support us but I was impressed with how quickly Craig understood the brief and captured the essence of our company in the rebrand. It is better than what I imagined it would be.
The personal touches are what makes Craig stand out. The personal videos taking us through the development of the branding and house style as well as putting forward suggestions for the website really helped us achieve our goals this year.
We will continue to work with Craig and recommend you connect with him to discuss your design needs.”
Paul Brown
Bluap Ltd
