The business consulting industry tends to look and sound the same across firms— a monochromatic palette and imagery that evokes literal business subjects or vague concepts of navigation, relationships or strategy. Our client, a comparatively small firm, but with a large presence in their space, wanted to break away from the expected and communicate what makes their consultancy distinct— with distinction. Additionally, the senior partner challenged us to offer them a visual solution that their competitors could never own.

Our approach began with candid partner interviews to develop a message that would distill their approach and success down to a simple but powerful deliverable, “Complexity into Clarity.” Visually, we challenged ourselves to explore less expected ways to illustrate this idea, while also reflecting the vibrancy of this modern firm and its young and enthusiastic team members. It was a small collection of art hung in their new offices that seeded the idea of considering contemporary abstract artworks in their brand. After an extensive search, it was the work of a Canadian artist that provided the perfect balance of simplicity, professionalism, and energy that would define the new brand and give a unique, one-of-a-kind face to the value and power of their service.

The client embraced this unorthodox idea of being represented by the work of a contemporary artist. We negotiated exclusive use of five works over a 5-year period to be used throughout their print and digital communications. The colorful energy and calming structure of the art has aligned unexpectedly well with recent business activity in governance, disruption and transparency— while remaining entirely unique in the consulting space. The team continues to show pride in their brand with frequent suggestions for new branded initiatives. Additionally, the client has invested in the purchase of two large pieces from the artist, which are now hung in the lobbies of their LA and NYC offices.