Growl Agency
Developed and designed with Jesus Almader •
When Growl Agency was named one of ColoradoBiz Magazine's "Colorado Companies to Watch," it became clear that the brand needed an update to reflect its growth and accomplishments.
The goal was to create branding that stood out from the clichéd corporate stock photography and Alegria-style vector illustrations dominating the industry. Equally important was showcasing the agency’s sense of humor and "cool" factor, all while maintaining its professionalism and reputation as a leader. With this vision in mind, we got to work.
The Photography
My first decision was to use vintage photography as the foundation for the redesign. This approach offered several advantages:
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Vintage photos are inherently intriguing, with their unique styles, old technology and nostalgic charm, making them ideal "anti-stock" images.
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Public domain laws provided us with a vast, cost-effective library.
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The aesthetic aligned perfectly with our brand--unique, stylish, humorous and smart.
By pairing these photos with modern edits, brand colors, and graphics, we highlighted the agency’s blend of old-school expertise and contemporary innovation.
The first major application of the new branding was the Growl website, where I added custom animations to elevate its visual appeal and demonstrate how the refreshed identity shines in a digital space.
Typography
Museo Sans remained the primary typeface for body copy, while Balboa was introduced for headers. This tall, bold typeface contrasted beautifully with Museo’s stout geometric structure, and its vintage newsprint-inspired design complemented the brand’s overall aesthetic.
To keep things flexible, we included a caveat in our typography guidelines that a wide assortment of display fonts are permitted, as long as they were strictly used for decorative purposes only, ensuring flexibility without compromising consistency. This approach reduced reliance on photography alone for visual impact.
Our Ideas in Action:
Growl Connex
In the months following the refresh, the new branding truly came to life during Growl's Connex event, a networking gathering sponsored by our HR department. One highlight of the event was an indoor "microgolf" experience, and during our research phase we became inspired by the wacky, uncanny world that is the American minigolf park.
We had yet to experience what the refreshed brand was like within this kind of context. Thankfully, due to the strategic planning and design work we did earlier in the year, building the Connex graphics was effortless -- and tons of fun.
