SQLI : How a unique collaboration created a new graphic ID for SQLI Digital Experience

"Paul is good at storytelling and so he came up with the acronym for the story behind SQLI - based on latin words: Senti (to experience); Quaesti (to question); Labora (to immerse and analyse and Inspira (to inspire).

"Bit by bit, it all came together."

Surprisingly, for a team with such diverse backgrounds, agreeing on design elements was not too difficult.

Blandine continued: "We pretty much agreed on everything. It was a really collaborative experience. The only area that was a challenge was in the colours. It tended to be the male members wanting minimal colours, greys, blacks and pastels, with the female designers preferring bright, pop colours.

"In the end we decided to go for a more minimalist feel - using minimal splashes of colour on the website and for presentations and documents, but bright, bold colours on social media - we felt we needed a design that captured attention, particularly on our social channels."

The designers put their final decisions into a presentation that was shared with the directors of the group.

Earlier this year, after everything was signed off, SQLI took the first steps in integrating the new look into everyday use. New guidelines are now in place about how to use the new logo; which typography should be used and when; when to use certain colours and combinations that shouldn't be used; how to make the best use of imagery. Email signatures, white papers, video and PowerPoint presentations are all included in the new style guide.

The company is pushing out the brand ID through its social channels, before the branding and design is rolled out further to the group.

Despite working together through the lockdown remotely and with so many offices involved, the project proved a positive experience - paving the way for further collaborations in the future.

Blandine added: "It was less intimidating and easy to work together remotely. Sometimes I would be connected to my team and we would create something live together and it was a really easy and fast process to work like this.

"The whole project was really successful. We didn't know each other at the beginning, but now know each other really well, our strengths and weakness, even.

"We have created something we can be proud of, that unites the group and that can and will be adapted as we grow.

"This is our first collaboration, but it has set the foundation for working closely again as we continue to evolve."