VantageID
An AIDC’s transformation story.
Industry:
AIDC
(Automatic Identification and Data Capture)
Scope of Work:
Brand strategy
Visual identity
Responsive web design
Copywriting
Content strategy
Website:
The Challenge
While working with VantageID on other projects, we learned this was a company full of great people who really know their stuff — the kind of company customers are looking to work with.
But there was an issue.
The branding was outdated and unclear. The website had grown over time to be slow to load and difficult to maintain and manage. Not to mention, it was in need of a modern redesign.
Unfortunately, this was all part of the first impression presented to potential customers.
And when the competition is just a click away, people have little patience for brands and websites they don’t immediately find credible.
Before & After
We created a plan to change how VantageID presented themselves, and in turn, how they would be perceived in their market.
Our Approach
The plan included a branding overhaul, rebuilding the website from scratch, and developing a content strategy to grow the site over time.
Branding
We know that our clients understand their businesses better than anyone. So why would we perform vital strategy work in the background? Our process is always collaborative — and we think it shows!
After an in-depth discovery phase where we gathered the necessary background info, we began exploring ideas with our client. Once we were confident that we had several strong directions to try, we got to work creating concepts, color palettes, and typographic styles. Chucking out stacks of “what were we thinking?” attempts as we went, we ended up with a handful of solid concepts ready to reveal.
During a collaborative design meeting with our client we picked apart our concepts and ended up with a logo that incorporated elements from multiple designs. For the color palette, we went with a more sophisticated version of the original VantageID blue — in part to help maintain some familiarity for their partners and customers.
Typography
Rubik Regular
Rubik Medium – Uppercase
Fira Sans Light
Color Palette
#00b1e1
#000000
The direction we ended up going ties in the business name via a somewhat abstract owl — known for sight and wisdom. It also supports the new tagline we helped brainstorm: See it all. Track it all.
Website
Responsive. Easy to navigate. Informative. These are the minimum requirements for a website if you want to enhance credibility and make a proper first impression.
To ensure a sleek and modern feel, we used subtle animation, bold sans serif type, high-contrast hover states, carefully-selected photography, and a clean layout complete with simple geometric patterns.
Our information architecture divided the site into digestible sections with obvious entry points throughout. Generous linking within pages makes it easy to jump around the site when you want to learn more about a topic.
The many details we obsess over probably wouldn’t be noticed on their own. But when you combine them you end up with a product that feels polished, bespoke, and professional.
Optimized for Mobile
The days of building websites for desktop browsing are long behind us. Our sites adapt to any screen size, adjusting the flow of content and features depending on the available screen real estate. Users will enjoy a similar but enhanced experience designed specifically for the device they’re viewing on.
Identity Package
Business cards, letterhead, social media banners, and email signatures are all opportunities to repeatedly get your brand in front of your target audience.
We created a system that uses brand design elements across multiple assets and mediums — to make sure the branding is both memorable and consistent.
Copywriting
The goal for the copy on the VantageID site was to communicate the value they add, beyond the hardware they sell. In a world where buyers can one-click purchase products on Amazon, it’s no longer enough to showcase products and talk about your business. You need to clearly communicate your value.
We worked alongside our client to plan and then edit the new website copy. In our experience, there’s no substitute for a key member of your team working through the copy. We’re then best leveraged to edit it down, clarify key points, and add some SEO magic.
Content Strategy
One of the long-term goals for the website was to generate more traffic through organic search.
We started by creating a content strategy that would direct our future SEO tactics. This included keyword research, an on-page audit and recommendation list, and a content plan that would generate traffic from new search terms.
Beyond just generating new traffic, we want to grow the site into an authority in the space. Taking this approach, you’ll start to see your organic search traffic grow while at the same time causing visitors to see you as a domain expert — before they even speak with you.
Website Engagement
%
Time Users Spend On Site Increase
Website Speed
%
Website Load Time Improvement
Time Savings
%
Less Time Adding Site Content
You know that item you purchased and wondered how you ever lived without it? The one where if you were on Naked and Afraid, you might consider replacing the knife or firestarter with it? That’s our S’more Brands.
As Director of Business Development for a tech company, I have a lot on my plate. Erik and his team continue to make my job easier, and make me look better.
You know that item you purchased and wondered how you ever lived without it? The one where if you were on Naked and Afraid, you might consider replacing the knife or firestarter with it? That’s our S’more Brands.
Before working with S’more Brands, our website and branding was outdated. Internally we whispered it was even embarrassing. It just didn’t represent the cutting edge technology and services we provide.
In 2020, we made the leap and had S’more Brands refresh our brand and overhaul our website. It wasn’t easy. But Erik and his team made the process… fun!
As a value added reseller, top technology companies expect us to promote their products. Before, it would take days, sometimes weeks to make additions to the website. Contractors compared it to renovating an old house — they would never know what they’d find, what they’d need to fix, or how long it would take.
Our technology partners and sales reps were frustrated. Me too!
Now, it’s fast and easy to add new website content, new products, new promotions. We’re always getting compliments (unsolicited!) from partners, customers, and our internal team.
To be honest, barcode products like Zebra printers can be boring. They’re not sexy in the least. I’m always amazed how Lalena can take any concept and make it visually compelling or how they’ll take the driest copy and make it more interesting — without going over the top.
S’more Brands invested the time to understand the nuances of our industry. They’ve done a great job learning the lingo and adapting images, language, and style to cater to our buyers’ demographics.
I have a love-hate relationship with the fact that a website is never one and done. That’s where the investment in both content strategy and streamlining our marketing workflows have really paid dividends. Erik has also introduced more effective tools for project management, like Trello, that saves us a lot of time.
You’d think all of this would come with a big price tag. We compared marketing companies that our distributors promoted and were flabbergasted at the value we receive with S’more Brands.
And, one thing a lot of testimonials don’t mention — they’re fun — always a delightful pleasure to work with.
So not to get all gooey on you… (I really wrote that, not S’more Brands) but they’re awesome. They’ve become a vital part of our success. I highly recommend!
