From a DIY logo to a brand that competes with firms ten times the size
Hired to improve proposals, I found the brand was the real problem. I designed a new identity from scratch for a three-decade-old family contractor, including a new logo, an 'Edwards Blue', and full guidelines — then ran a cost-effective transition across every client-facing touchpoint.
Goal
I was hired by Edwards to improve their project proposals so they could compete with more established organizations across Central and Southern California. On arrival it became clear that the first critical step was not the proposals at all — it was the brand. Their existing logo had been designed in-house by non-designers, and its application across materials and client-facing touchpoints was disorganized.
Approach
I developed a new brand concept that honors their legacy as a three-decade-old family organization while designing for a modern look and easy application across mediums. I designed a full logo from scratch and introduced a new "Edwards Blue" with more presence and weight than the thin cyan they had been using. I wrote brand guidelines and worked with teams across the company on a cost-effective transition from the old identity to the new one.
Results
A corporate-level brand of the kind an organization would normally pay tens of thousands of dollars and a team of brand designers to develop. In-house, we produced a sophisticated, meaningful identity that upgraded Edwards' first impression with every client and stakeholder. The transformation from old to new speaks for itself.
It also became the foundation for the proposal program that followed. That work won $269M at a 75% rate →