Crocstar
A retro vibe and the individual touch
Crocstar is a boutique-size content agency who wanted a new visual identity and website that would reflect their professionalism, market position and – importantly – their expertise with the written word.
The look they were going for was inspired by late 1950s styles, with a vibe similar to the TV show Madmen. To convey the personal touch they bring to content, Crocstar wanted a handwritten logo. Subism was a great fit for the agency, and by taking a collaborative approach we developed a unique brand to boost their image.
Our approach
A big focus on personality
As well as highlighting the importance of words though the design, the personality of the company as something we really wanted to bring to the fore. This is a company that is young, bright, positive and quirky – qualities that are perfect in the world of content marketing.
Crocstar shared their favourite visual references with us, we added some fresh ideas to the mix, and refined the typography and the colour palette. Our designers suggested a softer and more playful sense of structure so that the site flows from top to bottom rather than feeling like blocks of text.
We used the content management system Craft CMS for its range of features, flexibility and ease-of-use for end users.
Making a difference
Honing the look and feel
The level of craft Subism brought to this project is what sets it apart. Rather than searching through script fonts with nice ligatures in order to create the logotype, the Crocstar mark was hand drawn, tweaked and refined. It is truly unique. To continue the word-based theme, the blog section of the site works a little bit more like a book than a conventional blog. Users can turn the pages rather than scrolling down all the time. This level of attention to detail was applied throughout the site.
The outcome
A refreshing approach to content
Subtlety wins out with Crocstar’s refreshed brand and website design. The retro influences are present, but they don’t overwhelm the company’s modern vision, personality and up-to-date service offering. Even with a bright pastel colour palette in play.
