Bringing the best engineering talents closer to companies looking to build their teams and products

Vertex operates at the intersection between engineering talents and companies, by sourcing, screening and matching high quality software engineers tailored to the needs and requirements of companies. 

Headquartered in the vibrant tech hub of Austin, Texas, Vertex stands at the forefront of revolutionising how businesses navigate the ever-evolving landscape of software development. They understand that the success of any tech-driven enterprise rests on the caliber and quality of its talent.

With a commitment to excellence, innovation, and a finger on the pulse of industry trends, they pride theirselves on being a trusted ally for companies seeking to build and scale their tech teams effectively.

The challenge

The organisation aims to revitalise its brand identity to effectively bolster its current growth phase by enhancing its service offerings, specifically in the areas of building engineering teams and developing products for client companies.

Recognising the escalating demand for skilled engineers, the company views this as a strategic opportunity to elevate its services, redefine its brand image, and position itself more effectively in the market.

I started by conducting a brand audit

To commence the redesign process, I carried out a thorough analysis of various aspects of the brand values, unique selling proposition, tone of voice, product and service offerings, and its overall brand story.

In addition to these elements, I also evaluated the brand's visual identity assets, such as the current logo, colour scheme utilised, typography, advertising materials, website, brand collaterals and social media presence.

My aim was to fully understand the Vertex position in the market and identify areas for improvement. By taking a deep look at all the important components of the brand, I was able to approach the redesign process with clear objectives.

Understanding the key objectives of the redesign

Two key objectives were established to guide the process:

1. Remarkable: This objective involved developing a unique and eye-catching design that stands out from competitors and captures the attention of customers. The new logo should be visually appealing, memorable, and convey the brand's message effectively. To achieve this objective, thoughtful consideration was given to various design elements, such as colour, typography, and imagery, and how they can work together to create a cohesive and impactful visual identity.

2. Recognisable: The new logo should be easily recognisable, helping to build brand recognition. Consistency in visual elements across all communication materials and asset was also considered to reinforce the redesigned brand identity.

By keeping these objectives in mind throughout the redesign process, the result was a visually appealing and memorable logomark that effectively communicates the brand's message.

Re-imagining the logo mark; Going back to software engineering basics

The ">" symbol plays a very important role in software engineering. Its directional nature is also symbolic of the forward momentum and growth which is part of what Vertex brings to its client through its service of sourcing the top 1% of engineering talents to build products and create solutions.

The logo was designed with the intention of being simple yet easily recognisable. To achieve this, I utilised the letter "V" in combination with the ">" symbol. The "V" represents the initial letter of the brand name (Vertex), while the ">" symbol signifies a popular software engineering syntax, which I symbolised for growth and commitment to bringing excellence, this resulted in a logo that was visually appealing and meaningful to the brand.

A little of the past and future

The selection of colours for the brand took into account its core values of growth and excellence at its current stage. Upon thoughtful consideration, blue was chosen as the primary colour to represent the brand. The colour blue is associated with trust, and stability, which aligns with what Vertex aims to bring to various company's engineering team.

To add depth and contrast in design application, a darker shade of blue was selected as a complementary colour. This creates a sense of balance and harmony in the overall visual identity of the brand. The combination of these two shades of blue creates a modern and professional look which the organisation sort to establish.

A modern type look

A san-serif for called Satoshi was opted for to bring a modern look and contemporary appearance. The use of this font adds a sleek and modern feel to the overall look of the designs.

As part of my work, I also developed a comprehensive set of applications and a visual design system to help guide the Vertex brand across various touch points. These touch points include online platforms, print materials, outdoor communication and other promotional means.

Through these visual communications, a new brand messaging has been deployed, which aims to position Vertex as the leading provider of services revolving around talent sourcing in software engineering. The new messaging was clear, concise, and impactful, ensuring that it resonates with the target audience and effectively communicates the value Vertex offered to companies.

The end result was a powerful and effective set of applications and a visual design system that effectively communicates Vertex's value proposition to the target audience.

Re-introducing Vertex to the public

The purpose of creating this series was to effectively communicate the strategic value proposition that Vertex aims to provide to its target audience. Through this series, Vertex intends to present a comprehensive understanding of the unique benefits and advantages that it offers to its customers in order to establish itself as a reliable and trustworthy provider of services and solutions in the industry.

The series aims to showcase the various aspects of Vertex's value proposition and how it can help its customers meet their business objectives and goals.

To maintain a consistent and coherent design language across various media and branding elements, a comprehensive set of design documentation guidelines were established.

These guidelines were created with the primary objective of defining things such as hierarchy of typography to ensure clarity.

Brand collateral

As a result of the redesign, several collaterals were refreshed to align with the new brand image. The updates were applied across multiple materials, including email signatures, stationery, identity cards, and sales materials. These changes were intended to ensure consistency and coherence in all brand-related communications (internal and external) and enhance the overall visual appeal of the collateral.

Some key learning from the project

During the course of the project, I learnt the following;

1. Clarity in Messaging: The refined brand identity further highlighted the importance of conveying a clear and concise messaging cannot be underrated. It was critical to communicate Vertex's value proposition, unique selling points, and commitment to connecting companies with top-tier engineering talent through elements such as image selection and design layout. This clarity helped establish a strong and memorable visual brand image.

   
   

2. Storytelling through Branding: By incorporating storytelling elements into its brand identity, Vertex was able to create a more personalised and relatable image for its audience. By focusing more on how Vertex's services can positively impact on company's. Through these efforts, Vertex was able to position itself as a trusted and reliable partner for its customers.