Introduction
Unchained, a pioneering bitcoin native financial services firm, has been a key partner of ours since 2022, marking a collaborative journey that began when Rocky Roark served as their in-house Art Director and has continued with his role as a Fractional Creative Director. Over nearly two years, this ongoing partnership has flourished, encompassing a comprehensive rebrand, brand expansion, website redesign, and developing a unique illustration style, among other projects. Our collaboration with Unchained showcases our adaptability and commitment to evolving their brand to meet the dynamic needs of the cryptocurrency market.
Discovery & Strategy
Embarking on our journey with Unchained, our initial unfamiliarity with the Bitcoin landscape presented a unique challenge, yet it swiftly transformed into a pivotal strength of our partnership. This fresh perspective allowed us to approach their brand with an outsider's insight, proving invaluable for innovative solutions.
Our initial strategy involved an immersive deep dive into the Bitcoin universe, understanding Unchained's core identity, and pinpointing the specific brand and design challenges they faced. We quickly identified a set of common issues that mirrored what many startups experience, which we refer to as the "unholy trinity": a lack of cohesion across brand and internal teams, a deficit in creative resources, and slow creative turnaround times.
This discovery phase was instrumental in shaping our strategy. Acknowledging these challenges, we crafted a comprehensive approach focused on establishing a strong visual brand for Unchained, enhancing team synergy, and streamlining the creative process to meet their ambitious goals. Our commitment to understanding the Bitcoin domain and Unchained's unique position laid the groundwork for a transformative collaboration.
Design & Exploration
Transitioning from discovery to design with Unchained, we faced the challenge of completely reimagining their logomark. Moving away from the original, we adopted a new direction inspired by their brand archetype, The Navigator, embedding deep symbolism into the design. The logomark’s star signifies guidance like the North Star for clients in the Bitcoin journey, the curve reflects Bitcoin's supply curve, and its roundness represents the global Bitcoin ecosystem.
The scope of rebranding Unchained extended to various brand touchpoints, including a total website redesign, marketing campaigns, and a comprehensive 134-page magazine showcasing their expertise. These projects, integral to the rebrand, were meticulously developed to ensure cohesion and effectively convey Unchained’s renewed brand identity in the Bitcoin financial landscape.
Project Impact & Legacy
Our nearly two-year partnership with Unchained has led to substantial achievements, including a successful rebranding that played a key role in their Series B funding round, securing $60 million. This milestone highlights the importance of strategic branding in enhancing market presence and attracting investment.
We are looking forward to the future of our collaboration with Unchained. The success to date underscores the synergy between innovative branding and financial services, setting the stage for further achievements in the bitcoin sector.
