American Segmental Bridge Institute
A bold visual refresh and a website to put it over the top
A fantastic collaboration with Trestle Collective and Sharpdev.co
The American Segmental Bridge Institute (ASBI) is a nonprofit organization providing a forum where owners, designers, constructors and suppliers of the segmental bridge industry come together to further refine procedures and evolve new techniques that will advance the quality and use of concrete segmental bridges. Today, ASBI holds a 70+ member Board of Directors with 3 committees and 14 subcommittees that specialize in different aspects of communication, education, technology and innovation in the concrete segmental bridge industry.
With a brand rooted in tradition, with bridge projects across the nation and across the globe, the ASBI leadership knew they had something great - it just needed an update. Their logo was recognizable and had a lot of meaning to the members and the segmental bridge community, however, it had issues involving symmetry, readability and flexibility. Their visual identity was also very dated and not inspiring to their audience. They also had an old website that had aesthetic and functionality issues. With a growing member base, and a brand identity that couldn't keep up, they knew it was time for a big update.
In collaboration with The Trestle Collective, I worked closely with the ASBI team to learn about what issues they had, what they wanted to keep (the logo), and what needed to go (nearly everything else).
There were three parts to this project:
1. A logo refresh
2. A new, modern visual identity
3. A new beautiful, functional website
Part 1: Fix the logo...but don't change it!
With the logo, the wildly unique shape was something the members of ASBI loved. It was just a matter of making it actually work. A few problems we fixed with the refresh included: crazy symmetry issues, sloppy edges, readability issues, and a harsh color.
Step 1: Correct the wonky-ness. Circles should be circular, right? So, I got out the ruler and shaped everything as it should be.
Step 2: Let go of the tension and space everything appropriately and equally. When spacing is not similar, and things are touching slightly or for no reason, it causes tension. (By the way, tension is what makes your eyes not like what you're looking at. Remove tension, and it's easy and pleasant.) Here, the space between the 'A' and 'S' needed to be the same as the space between the 'B' and 'I'.
Step 3: The next step was to create balance, so I took the opportunity to shorten the width of the 'S', and create a similar, balanced shape with the 'A' and 'S' and the 'S' and 'B'.
Step 4: Final touches involved removing the wordmark from the icon, realign them in a lockup that is more optimal at a small size by adding height and taking away some width to make the mark more readable and concise. The new color keeps the same spirit of the old cyan, but provides better contrast and readability. Voila!
Part 2: Create a visual identity that is meaningful and modern
With visual identity, it's important to think about what makes this brand special. Well, it just so happens that all segmental bridges use the same shape in their segment sections. It's a unique shape that's like a rectangle, but it has skinny 'arms' on either side.
Here's a great example:
Because this shape is so special to segmental bridges, I chose it to be the hero of the visual identity after adjusting it to be a little more visually pleasing.
The new ASBI brand guide, Identity by Design, utilizes all the new brand elements and carefully demonstrates how to use them. The new brand elements include logo, bridge segment shape, new typography and color palette.
Additionally, this guide shows applications like collateral material, branded templates, ads and digital examples. When used consistently and appropriately, all of these applications work together to create the brand recognition ASBI is looking for.
Part 3: Update and modernize the website
The piece de resistance for ASBI is an updated, beautiful, sleek, functional website. With a current system that was outdated, it was time to start fresh. Now on a Wordpress platform, the new website is up to industry standards. It's intuitive back end is much easier to update and integrated with other platforms and connected tools. The front end is completely reimagined, in alignment with the new brand and visual identity. Additionally, the navigation was completely reconfigured to speak more to the members and what they're looking for. With the new site, ASBI has a powerful tool to introduce their newly refreshed brand and stir a little excitement into the segmental bridge industry.
asbi-assoc.org/
I have to say, this project was a dream. The collaboration with Trestle Collective and Sharpdev.co was amazing. These guys are the best at what they do and that makes the work so fun. The wonderful people at ASBI couldn't have been more great to work with. Together we shared great ideas, built upon them and created a new look for ASBI that has catapulted them into a modern, fresh look that will help them stand out, and stand the test of time.
A glowing client review:
I am pleased to share my recent experience with Cason Tucker and Blue Lane Creative's exceptional company branding service. From the moment we engaged with her, it was evident that we were in expert hands. Cason personally and thoughtfully delved into understanding our organization’s principles, values, and goals, resulting in a branding strategy that truly reflects who we are.
Blue Lane Creative seamlessly translated their insights into an attractive visual identity, including a great logo, color palette, and design elements that will guide us in all future communications with our industry partners. We were amazed by the creativity, attention to detail and responsiveness all throughout the process.
The professionalism and dedication demonstrated throughout the branding process were outstanding. Our new brand identity has elevated our market presence and generated more than a little buzz among our industry partners. People have noticed! I wholeheartedly recommend Blue Lane Creative to any organization seeking a refreshing branding experience.
- Gregg Freeby, Executive Director, ASBI