Overview
In mid 2019, a refresh of the Fluke Calibration visual brand was initiated from the business. Initially, I was teamed up with a senior colleague to address this request, and together we started the brainstorming process. However, due to her unexpected departure in the fall, I took over full responsibility of this project.
The goal was to update the brand’s visual appearance to better align with the business’ updated future-focused brand messaging. At the time, the current visual brand standards were looking outdated because adjustments hadn’t been made since the inception of the business (2010) and many of the guidelines stemmed from even earlier guidelines established for Fluke Calibration’s parent company, Fluke Corporation.
Creative Brief
Old Fluke Calibration branding example. Brochure cover
Research
Brand Refresh Objectives
- Create brand identity that aligns with future-focused brand messaging
- Make it look contemporary and relevant
- Globally scalable
- Not a rebrand. Needs to work with Fluke Corporation brand
Customer (internal) needs
- Conveys innovation, leading-edge technology, performance, confidence
- Works across all regions
- Maintains essence of Fluke Calibration personas
Strategy
- Future-focused
- Convey technology, innovation, reliability, quality
- Don’t deviate too much from Fluke brand
- Easily scalable
- Update font, typography, color palette, photography style, iconography
With a future-focused messaging in mind, and knowing that stakeholders wanted something new and eye-catching, yet refined, the strategy was to update key components of the visual brand that were giving off outdated vibes. First and foremost, internal stakeholders would comment on the brand font. Fluke Calibration was using a combination of a serif font and an extended san serif font. Tighter leading was often used to conserve on space, due to the larger amount of technical information, but these factors combined made the typography appear archaic.
Consistency in color was another issue. Although Fluke yellow and various shades of blue were typically used, marketing collateral contained a wide variety of colors outside of the blue and yellow spectrum. While color variety did not necessarily add to the older feel, it did create inconsistencies. The objective was to tighten this up by defining specific color values and only using these options.
Photography was a major contributor to the outdated look. Since the business tends to release product less frequently than Fluke’s other businesses, there is less photography overall and less new photography in particular. The photography had been shot in the same style since the inception of the business, so a style update was in need to enhance the visual appeal.
Old Fluke Calibration branding example. Data tables and sign off block
Process
Mood Boards
White/sterile
Dark blue technology
Blue and yellow technology
Initial Proposal
Solution
- Dynamic, techy, contemporary aesthetic
- Lighter and airier feel
- New (single) brand font
- Standard look using same graphic element and color palette
After rounds of feedback, I refreshed the visual brand to have a more dynamic, contemporary, and technology focused aesthetic by integrating a fractal graphic element that would tie marketing assets together. I clearly defined color values for the new color palette, and only used those colors for consistency and simplicity. A new san serif font was chosen because of it’s web, translations, and glyphs versatility; the secondary font option from the previous brand guidelines was removed also for simplicity.
A lighter and airier feel was created by utilizing more negative white space, increasing type leading, and slightly lightening body copy. A new photography style for product beauty shots and environmental product shots added dynamic perspective and drama, while simplifying visual clutter. Although creative freedom may have been infringed upon, tightening up brand guidelines for these components helped to create a more uniformed, reliable, and relevant visual brand experience when paired with the future-focused messaging.
Approved Proposal
Result
- New and improved visual brand refresh, recognized by GD USA American Inhouse Design Awards
- More standardized implementation of guidelines to create a more uniformed brand experience
- Brand aesthetic applicable to web and print, scalable globally
- Brand refresh applied to largest Fluke Calibration new product release in recent history
Using an upcoming new product release as a guide for content, new marketing asset templates were created with the new brand guidelines. Everything from pull screens, to datasheets, to email, to landing pages were revamped to reflect the refreshed brand aesthetic and ensure that maintaining the new guidelines would be sustainable for each specific asset.
Eventually, when the new product was release, that campaign was the first major campaign to utilize the new look/feel and helped to successfully launch the refreshed Fluke Calibration brand. In 2021, when entering work from 2020, the Fluke Calibration brand refresh was recognized by GD USA as one of the winners for the American Inhouse Design Award.
Datasheets
Application Note
White Paper
Flyer
Pullscreen
Landing page
