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Twenty years ago, Clear Space was born. Some might see this marker as an extraordinary achievement. But in the grand universe of things, it’s merely a blip.
It’s nothing really. And yet, in our world, nothing is everything. Nothing is the ethos that has always guided us. From our humble beginnings to now navigating a remote world post-pandemic, we’ve always thrived on the absence of excess.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, french writer, poet, journalist, and aviator said:
“A designer knows they have achieved perfection, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away.”
This belief has propelled our creative way for two decades. And we remain unwavering in this path. No ego. No bullshit. Say less. Listen more. Observe. Understand.
We’ve crafted remarkable work, branded leading organizations, spearheaded campaigns, and forged lasting bonds with clients who’ve become cherished friends. On our 20th anniversary, what we reflect on are not the things that we have accrued, but all the invaluable relationships and experiences that have shaped us.
To all who’ve been on this journey – employees, partners, clients and friends – thank you.
Here’s to the next 20 years of proving that when you start with nothing, everything is possible.
Brand Guide. Brand Playbook. Brand Manual. Brand Essence. There’s no shortage of names for this beloved tool of brand and marketing managers across industries and sectors. They essentially are all the same and serve the same purpose; traditionally a printed document, a collection of standards, suggestions and inspo for an organization to maintain brand consistency across various channels. However, when you add “online" to the mix, it transforms these guides into a dynamic, high-value resource, making you wonder how you ever managed without one before!
The challenge
There have been many forms of the brand guide (we’ll use this simplest term), from basic one-pagers and concise brochures to beefy and beautiful printed manuals from yesteryear. In the last several decades, the combination of the internet and perhaps fiscal constraints shifted the brand guide from paper to PDF. This saves printing and shipping costs, but still leaves you with a major challenge. Whether in print or PDF format, the brand guide remains a static document that’s not very accessible. In today’s fast-pace economy, an adaptable and responsive brand is crucial for an organization’s success.
The solution
With digital transformation in full swing it’s surprising how many organizations have yet to adopt the web for one of the more important tools in their marketing kit. As just hinted, the online brand guide is essentially a website. Depending on the depth of your brand standards, your site can be as simple as one scrolling page, or several as required. Additionally, the ability to implement password protection ensures that your brand assets remain secure and accessible only to authorized personnel.
Without further ado, here are the 5 ways your online brand guide can save you time and money.
- It reduces the need for repetitive explanations and clarifications about your brand guidelines. By having a centralized and easily accessible resource, employees and outside users spend less time searching for info and more time focused on creating. This efficiency not only boosts productivity but also minimizes the potential for errors in brand implementation, saving resources that would otherwise be spent on direction and revisions.
- An online brand guide facilitates faster onboarding and training processes for new team members. Instead of relying on extensive training sessions or one-on-one coaching to familiarize new hires about your brand, they can independently access and learn from the online guide. Brand guides are not just practical tools for creative production, they are also opportunities to tell or remind people about your brand story, articulating high level concepts such as brand positioning, vision/mission, values, etc. This self-service approach accelerates the onboarding timeline and also ensures consistency in how your brand story is expressed across the organization.
- Its digital nature eliminates costs associated with printing and distributing traditional brand manuals. Organizations no longer need to allocate budget for producing physical copies, updating printed materials, or shipping guides to multiple locations. This cost-saving measure is particularly beneficial for large or geographically dispersed teams, as well as for organizations looking to reduce their environmental footprint by minimizing paper usage.
- Real-time updateability ensures you are always working with the latest version of an online brand guide. This reduces the risk of outdated information causing confusion or inconsistencies in branding efforts, thereby avoiding costly rework or misalignment in marketing campaigns, product launches, or customer communications. If you’ve worked with Clear Space on a web project before, you know that we use a highly secure and robust online builder called Webflow. Basic training on Webflow is usually included in our project scope, so updating and managing your own brand guide is totally in your control.
- A centralized, easily accessible platform for all your brand materials transforms how organizations manage their brand assets. Online brand guides allow you to consolidate storage of logos, colour palettes, typography, templates, and other critical files in one secure location. This streamlined approach ensures that users always have instant access – 24/7, 365 – to the latest versions of brand assets, reducing inconsistencies and saving valuable time.
As a brand or marketing manager, imagine a world where you never have to email logos or template files again or repeatedly explain your brand story to new team members. Picture the efficiency gains with seamless version control and the significant long-term savings from investing in an online brand guide. With these tasks streamlined and under control, you can shift your focus from managing your brand to marketing it effectively. That’s a lot off your plate!
If you’re interested in hearing more about how Clear Space can help you convert your brand guide into a web version, or see examples of online brand guides we’ve created for others, email us at business@clearspace.ca, or fill out our contact form.
Choosing the right content management system (CMS) is crucial for delivering seamless functionality, enhanced user experience, and long-term efficiency. While WordPress has long been the industry ‘go-to’, innovative platforms like Webflow are rapidly gaining prominence for their custom design flexibility, no-code environment, and intuitive interface.
At Clear Space, we've been at the forefront of Webflow's evolution, championing its capabilities since its early days in 2012. Today, as Webflow stands as a market leader, we continue to leverage its potential to create dynamic, brand-driven websites that are both powerful and easy to manage. This commitment has shaped our approach to delivering not just a website, but a digital experience that thrives.
The Case for Webflow
Before diving into comparisons, it's crucial to assess your specific requirements. Consider factors such as scalability, ease of use, design flexibility, SEO capabilities, and ongoing maintenance needs. Each CMS caters to different needs, from simple blogs to complex e-commerce sites.
1. Design Flexibility and Customization
One of the standout features of Webflow is its unparalleled design flexibility. Unlike Wordpress, which often requires plugins and custom coding for advanced design changes, Webflow offers a visual editor that allows designers to create pixel-perfect layouts without touching a line of code. This visual approach not only speeds up the design process but also empowers designers to bring their creative visions to life seamlessly.
2. Intuitive User Interface
Webflow's user interface is designed with both developers and non-technical users in mind. It combines the ease of drag-and-drop functionality with powerful customization options, making it accessible for beginners while offering robust capabilities for seasoned developers. In contrast, Wordpress, while widely used, can be daunting for new users due to its steep learning curve and the necessity for managing plugins and themes.
3. Built-in Responsiveness
With mobile usage on the rise, responsive design is non-negotiable for any modern website. Webflow automatically generates responsive code, ensuring that your site looks great on any device without the need for additional tweaking. Wordpress, on the other hand, often requires manual adjustments or reliance on third-party plugins to achieve similar results.
4. Seamless Hosting and Maintenance
Webflow streamlines the hosting and maintenance process by offering integrated hosting services. This eliminates the hassle of managing separate hosting providers or dealing with security updates and backups, which are often required with Wordpress installations. Webflow's all-in-one approach not only simplifies the workflow but also reduces potential points of failure.
5. SEO Optimization
Webflow prioritizes SEO best practices, providing built-in tools that help optimize your site for search engines. From customizable meta tags to clean, semantic code, Webflow empowers users to enhance their site's visibility without relying extensively on additional plugins. Wordpress, while offering SEO plugins, can become cluttered with multiple plugins affecting site performance and security.
Conclusion
While Wordpress remains a popular choice for many websites, Webflow represents a forward-thinking alternative that prioritizes design flexibility, ease of use, and integrated functionality. Whether you're a seasoned developer looking to streamline your workflow or a business owner seeking a modern, responsive website, Webflow offers a compelling solution that transcends the limitations of traditional CMS platforms. By choosing Webflow, you not only enhance your site's performance and user experience but also future-proof your online presence in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
We’re stoked to announce that Will Robinson is joining the Clear Space team as a designer and developer. Will is a Toronto-raised web designer and developer driven by a passion for creating unique and engaging websites that resonate with users. With more than a decade of experience, Will combines his technical skills with his eye for design to deliver visually appealing websites that effectively achieve clients' goals. While skilled in both Figma design and SEO optimization, he is a Webflow expert who uses technology to bring ideas to life. Will is an experienced BMX rider and has been the driving force behind events in the BMX community for over 15 years. He is a trained firefighter and hobby woodworker, and in his free time, he likes watching basketball, spending time with his family, and enjoying a cup of good coffee.
True Patriot Love Foundation has selected Clear Space as its creative and digital partner on the redesign and rebuild of its corporate website. The current website was built in 2017 and has not been significantly updated since then. In addition to expanding on its visual brand identity, TPL is looking for a new content management system (CMS) to improve the organization and usability of the website for key audiences, communicate the TPL brand more effectively and motivate more people to participate in the services offered by the organization.
True Patriot Love is Canada’s Foundation for the military community, working to support military members, Veterans, and their families at every stage of their journey. By working as a trusted partner with local charities, social enterprises, the Canadian Armed Forces and the federal and provincial governments, True Patriot Love advocates for the needs of military members and Veterans and ensures resources are directed where they are needed most.
“We are thrilled to partner with Clear Space, an agency renowned for its capabilities in strategic brand and digital design. Not only do we entrust the CS team to evolve our brand image, we’re confident with their recommendation to implement Webflow as our new CMS. The web platform appears flexible, robust, secure, and with included training from Clear Space, simple enough for our internal team to work with post-launch and beyond. We’re excited to start our transformation”, says Sarah Barker, Chief Marketing Officer at True Patriot Love Foundation.
Clear Space is a full service, strategic brand and digital design consultancy with over 20 years of experience. Clear Space helps clients be unforgettable by inventing, transforming, aligning or activating their brand stories with the power of clarity.
As a marketing director, you understand the importance of aligning your team around a shared vision. No matter how innovative our concepts or how meticulous your strategies, a project can easily derail without the crucial step of building consensus. Imagine investing countless hours in crafting a visionary brand strategy, only to have it hit a wall because key stakeholders just don’t get it. The success of a branding project hinges not just on the creativity and strategy behind it but also on ensuring every voice is heard and aligned. Learn how we navigate the intricate process of achieving stakeholder buy-in and turning your creative vision into reality.
1. Engage stakeholders early and often
Proper engagement and participation: From the outset, it’s crucial to identify and involve key stakeholders, including company executives, board members, employees, or community representatives. This ensures the brand creative reflects the diverse perspectives and needs of those it serves. Schedule initial meetings to understand their visions, concerns, and expectations.
Listening to their voice: Facilitate open discussions where stakeholders can freely share their ideas and feedback. This not only helps in gathering valuable insights but also fosters a sense of ownership and collaboration. Tools like surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews can be highly effective.
2. Craft a comprehensive creative brief
Setting clear objectives: A well-written creative brief is the foundation of any successful branding project. It should outline:
- Targets – Define the primary and secondary audiences.
- Goals and objectives – What do you hope to achieve?
- Competitive analysis – Who is in a similar market space, and how are they positioned?
- Challenges and opportunities – Identify potential obstacles and areas for growth.
- Tone of voice: Articulate the mood or emotion you want to convey to your targets.
Ensuring alignment: Share the creative brief with all stakeholders to ensure everyone is aligned and any discrepancies are addressed early on. This document will serve as a guiding star throughout the project.
3. Educate stakeholders on design principles
Simplifying complex concepts: Not everyone has a design background, so it’s essential to demystify design principles for stakeholders. Use clear, jargon-free language and visual aids to explain concepts like colour psychology, typography, and layout.
Workshops and presentations: Conduct workshops and presentations to educate stakeholders on how design elements can influence perception and behavior. Real-world examples from the client’s industry can be particularly illustrative.
4. Establish a compelling narrative
Creating a story: A powerful brand tells a story. Develop a narrative that encapsulates the client’s mission, values, and vision. This story should be the backbone of the brand design, guiding the creation of logos, colour schemes, and other visual elements.
Connecting emotionally: Ensure the narrative connects emotionally with the audience. Highlight success stories, the dedication of the staff, and the client’s impact on the community. This emotional connection will make the brand more memorable and meaningful.
5. Guide decision-makers towards key ideas
Presenting concepts effectively: When presenting design concepts, do so in a way that highlights how each element aligns with the established narrative and objectives. Use mock-ups and prototypes to provide a tangible sense of how the brand will come to life.
Facilitating informed decisions: Help decision-makers understand the rationale behind each design choice. Provide data and case studies to support your recommendations. Be prepared to address concerns and make revisions, but also stand firm on key ideas that are essential to the brand’s success.
Conclusion
By engaging stakeholders, crafting a clear creative brief, educating non-creatives, establishing a compelling narrative, and guiding decision-makers, you can ensure a seamless and successful brand design project for any client. This approach not only builds a strong, cohesive brand but also fosters a collaborative and inclusive process that all stakeholders can be proud of. Remember, a successful brand is one that thrives on trust, empathy, and a shared vision.