In the ever-evolving world of finance, fintech brands are rapidly changing the game. What’s making these disruptors stand out? It’s not just their innovative technologies or streamlined services—it’s their bold branding strategies. While traditional banks have long relied on conventional, conservative branding, fintechs are embracing a more daring, fresh approach.
Let’s face it – in a world full of endless content, getting someone to stop scrolling and actually pay attention to your post is no easy task. But with the right design approach, you can make your social media content stand out from the crowd and grab that precious attention. So, how do you create eye-catching, scroll-stopping content that makes people pause, engage, and share? Let’s dive in!
Trust is at the centre of every successful business. Customers are more likely to choose brands they trust, recommend them to others, and return to them time and time again. But how do you earn that trust, especially in today’s competitive market? One of the most powerful ways is through strong brand identity.
With so many brands competing for attention, making yours stand out can feel like a challenge. Personalisation can help by creating a brand experience that feels unique and meaningful. But it’s more than just adding a name to an email. Thoughtful design and tailored content can make your audience feel like your brand was made just for them, turning casual buyers into loyal customers.
We’ve all seen the headlines – AI is taking over everything! From self-driving cars to chatbots that answer all your questions, it seems like there’s no stopping the rise of artificial intelligence. But what about design? Can AI really compete with the boundless creativity of the human mind? Well, let’s dive into this digital showdown and see who takes the crown: AI-generated design or human creativity?
Starting a business is exciting, but it comes with plenty of challenges - one of the biggest being how to stand out in a crowded market. That’s where branding comes in. Your brand is the way people perceive your business, how they feel about it, and why they choose you over others. For startups, getting your branding right from the beginning can set the tone for growth and long-term success.
Was 2020 the perfect year to follow your dreams? We take a look back at three branding projects that we have worked on in 2020, supporting our clients in their quest to make their business dreams a reality.
2020 may have been a year to forget for many but for others, it was the perfect opportunity to reassess their own situations. Dan and I, the partners behind Formulate, are a perfect example of this. We saw 2020 as the perfect opportunity to finally bite the bullet and start the creative agency we had spent years talking about.
This was also the case for a number of our clients who decided the time was right to pursue their dreams and ambitions. We were very fortunate to be involved in their journey and support them with their branding and marketing requirements throughout 2020.
Below are three examples of clients, based here in Dubai, who saw 2020 as the perfect opportunity to start their business, in the eye of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Fold - Hair Salon, Dubai
Emily Griffiths is an Australian stylist/hairdresser, who has been working in salons across Dubai for the last six years. She had always wanted to go it alone and in April 2020 she approached Formulate to design and develop the branding for her new salon concept, The Fold.
Emily explained...
"The concept of The Fold has been a passion project spanning over the past 12 month, evolving and growing throughout 2020. After facing many roadblocks including a salon redesign, the delivery of an early baby and a global pandemic."
A space for your hair and soul
The Fold set out to be a space designed for Emily's client's hair and their soul, with a mindful, holistic approach to hairdressing.
She wanted her clients to leave her salon feeling empowered, confident and beautiful, from the inside out. The salon required a brand that conveyed a sense of confidence and trust, which is required when choosing your hairdresser.
We worked closely with Emily throughout the lockdown period, to develop a logo and a brand that played to the name of the salon. It also represented the connection between the client and the stylist, which often goes way beyond just a haircut, especially at The Fold.
The brand was also designed to have a seamless cohesion with the Salon's interiors which have an organic, tonal and textured feel, and the warmth and movement of natural materials.
"Formulate were there for us every step of the way and fully supporting our authentic ethos, helping us develop the brand we wanted.
Whilst we were in fact blessed with a baby in 2020 we also gained our Fold family, for which we will be forever grateful. Working with a team as flexible and easy going as Formulate, when there were so many changes and challenges, took so much stress out of the branding process."
The Fold is now open in Motor City and is a must-try for any ladies based here in Dubai.
Instagram: thefolddxb
Website: Coming Soon
Formulate's Role: Branding & Website Design
See More: Full case study coming soon
Energie Entertainment, Dubai
As we all know, the world took a dramatic turn in February 2020 and many, if not all industries we hugely affect in one way or another, meaning people's careers were greatly affected too.
This was certainly the case for Tyler Davis-Smith, who had been working in events in Dubai for the last six years. Being an industry that was essentially closed down overnight, Tyler was left with plenty of time to look at his life and his options moving forward.
Back to business
After initially diversifying and turning his event management skills, Tyler helped to deliver the Covid-19 field hospitals here in Dubai. He then used the time to reflect and think about his future. He had always held an ambition to do something more within entertainment. Ever optimistic that once we were through the worst of the pandemic, the events industry would bounce back. He wanted to be at the forefront of this turnaround.
As Tyler explained...
"I had lots of events cancelled and have felt the financial and emotional burden of this. My diary was fully booked with events then it all came to a grinding halt. However, it gave me a chance to reassess, look at what I had been doing and look at where I wanted to go."
In August 2020, Tyler approached us to start work on the branding, marketing materials for his new company Energie Entertainment. He had decided to launch an entertainment management company that delivers the whole package for events.
The brief was to develop a brand, website and marketing materials that would reflect the dynamism, energy and excitement of their entertainers.
The brand needed to be transferable between online and printed marketing collateral, this resulted in a fluid, eye-catching design. It was supported by a vivid colour palette, inspired by stage and show lighting.
As the events industry slowly started to come back to life in the third quarter of 2020, Energie Entertainment started to flourish. Tyler has delivered a number of high profile events here in Dubai, leading up to and over the festive period. He hopes to build on the initial success in 2021. Delivering entertainment to events across the GCC region, as the events industry looks to get back to what it does best, entertaining people!
Instagram: weareenergie
Website: www.weareenergie.com
Formulate's Role: Logo design, branding & website design, company profile, social media and apparel.
See More: Full case study here
Barre Effect, Dubai
From a young age Nora Hameidani has had a passion for dance, starting out at a ballet and contemporary academy in her hometown. She then went on to train and perform with several contemporary dance companies in New York. During this time she also fell in love with the boutique fitness scene, through Spin, Yoga, and Barre classes.
Nora moved to Dubai in the summer of 2013, to be the master trainer and assistant director for Physique 57's Middle East's franchise. Nora then went on to teach Barre, Spin and Megaformer classes at various boutique studios around the City.
2020 gave Nora the perfect opportunity to finally go it alone and bring to life the ladies only Barre Studio she had always dreamed of as she explains....
"In the summer of 2020 I decided it was time to make my dream of creating my own fitness brand a reality. I saw a gap in the market for a strong barre studio, and saw the opportunity to create something great."
A branding that works in harmony with the interior
In August 2020, she got in touch with us here at Formulate to discuss branding for her passion project, Barre Effect. The brief was to create a strong, edgy and urban brand but with a feminine and approachable aesthetic, that would play to and compliment the studio's contemporary and industrial interior.
The branding, website and marketing collateral needed to resonate with the studio's target audience of women aged 25-60. It also need to stand out within the women's fitness and dance studio market.
The brand is supported by a colour palette that brings a feel of tranquility, confidence and elegance that also continues into the studio space itself.
The logo is a strong, elegant wordmark that plays to the word 'BARRE' with the horizontal bar running through it. Nora was delighted with the results...
"I had a lot of experience in the industry, but did not know the first thing about branding or creating a website. Formulate helped us to create a beautifully strong brand image, that I am constantly receiving compliments on. From the icon/logo, to the colors and typography, everything came together seamlessly. We are very pleased with the end results."
Barre Effect is due to open in late January 2021 on Al Wasl Rd. It will be a go-to destination for ladies looking for a contemporary Barre Studio.
Instagram: barreeffectdxb
Website: https://www.barreeffectdxb.com
Formulate's Role: Logo design, branding, website design, signage and apparel
See More: Full case study coming soon
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Formulate works with businesses of all sizes to offer branding, rebranding, graphic design, website design and digital services.
Talk to us today about branding journey to build and brand your dream business.
The first day of January 2021 and the Formulate Creative team are looking forward to getting stuck into the year ahead. We are excited to deliver a range of; branding, graphic design and website projects for clients here in the UAE and beyond.
As we looked to start the year on a positive note, our founding partner Theo Adamson looks forward to the year ahead, in an interview with Gulf News...
For Theo Adamson, a British expat in Dubai, 2021 is about being “cautiously optimistic”. The 38-year-old former freelancer said the pandemic gave him “time to reflect”, leading to his decision to start a business, called Formulate Creative, together with another partner, Dan Brown. “As a freelancer, I was working long hours and all the pressure was on myself to deliver. It’s always been an ambition of mine to start my own business. So it was sort of a natural transition from a freelancer to a small branding and design agency ... It might be the worst time to do it, or it might be the best time to do it. But if I never do it, I’ll never know,” added Adamson.
“Everyone’s talking about being freelancers nowadays, but there’s another side to it, where you start as a freelancer and hopefully you develop and grow into a company and as this happens, you can obviously support the bounce-back of the economy.”
You can read the full article here
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