Creative Agency meets State Government Regulatory Agency
A Strange but True Tale of Two Worlds Colliding
One of the best things about this business is the variety of clients we get to work with. While STRUCK does possess some specific client category experience, we also have our fair share of client engagements that come from all sorts of categories and industries. The net result is we’re able to meet new people and create work for clients we wouldn’t have even thought about crossing paths with in the first place.
Like: the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. The DEQ, for short. We first met with the DEQ in summer 2015. They had recently completed research that showed only 3% of Utah residents actually knew what the DEQ did. Other Utahans simply thought they were the EPA. The DEQ felt the time was right for a re-brand to re-introduce the DEQ to Utahans, and do it in a way that would be modern and approachable.
Enter STRUCK. I think it would be safe to say we’d never worked with a client quite like the DEQ. Therein was the challenge. How can we apply our brand strategy and design experience to generate a new platform and look for a state regulatory agency that had never been through a branding exercise? Moreover: How would the DEQ, as a group of brilliant scientists and researchers, respond to us—a group of designers, strategists and wily account folk? We were a little cautious, admittedly. How would this work?
It was a collision of two different worlds. Thankfully, the people involved from both of those worlds managed it with enthusiasm and a spirit of collaboration. We saw each other eye to eye, had a lot of honest dialogue, and kept an open mind as to where we could go. Such dynamics are the very best you can ask for. To feel as if you’re a partner with a client at the outset, and then truly working together to find an answer.
It was a great journey, and we developed a new brand platform to give the DEQ a more friendly and relatable nature, along with a new visual identity to represent the elements of nature that DEQ is responsible for protecting: air, land, and water.
We also created a family of updated marks for the DEQ’s five divisions, using variations to the color palette.
Our collaboration worked. And that’s whole point, really. It doesn’t matter how seemingly disparate or odd the pairing gets to be. Provided both partners are aligned in the pursuit of common goals, and the relationship begins on equal footing.
And oh, I’d be crazy if I didn’t also include how we helped express the brand in a series of public service announcements. These became another collision of two worlds: Pam, an environmental professional from DEQ. And Phil, an aspiring environmental professional (of sorts). Check out their conversations on air, water, and radon.
A big thank you to Amy and Donna at the Utah DEQ. You rocked our world as much as you said we rocked yours. We’re grateful for the collision.
P.S. Check out some more of STRUCK’s DEQ re-brand on Behance.
Jeremy Chase is Director of Client Services at Struck. He is also a proud Idaho native, skier, Utah Enviro Minute fan, and a theatre arts aficionado. You can find him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Looking for more insights, facebooking, twittering, ramblings, musings and other thoughts? Follow our Greater Than collection.
