Designers at Zeus Jones don’t just push pixels. In addition to solving a wide array of design challenges, the team actively contributes to overall brand strategy and solves real business problems to make a meaningful impact for clients. Designers are deeply involved in every step of the process — from running workshops and leading inter-departmental teams to managing client relationships. This hands-on workshop will take you through the unique process that drives design thinking at Zeus Jones. You’ll solve a brief by identifying a strategic design opportunity, developing preliminary design treatments and preparing your pitch for the client. You’ll see how pushing your strategic and creative thinking beyond typical agency expectations can deliver bigger, better results for clients while also boosting your own capabilities across the board. Zeus Jones believes actions speak louder than words, that modern businesses are defined not by what they say but what they do. Zeus Jones’ mission is to help build modern businesses. The company opened its doors in 2007 in Minneapolis and expanded to include a San Francisco office earlier this year. Clients include General Mills, Nestle Purina, Nike, Nordstrom and Post-It.

2. Thanks for coming.
!
•A bit about Zeus Jones and how we operate
•Outline of our branding process
•A few example of our process in action

3. Our goal is for you to walk away with
some simple, strategic branding
exercises that you can apply to your
next branding project.

4. A bit about us:
!
•Established 2007 to build Modern Brands
•We have a team of 50 people in our Uptown office
•Earlier this year, we opened an office in San Francisco
•Everyone sits together around a couple of big tables

5. We believe modern brands are defined
by what they do, not what they say.

6. We are an agent of change, not an
agency of record.
Modern Brand Accelerator
For ventures needing a fast
turn around modern branding
framework
Barrier Breaker
For ventures needing to tackle
a tough problem that is
becoming a barrier to growth.
Brand Builder
For ventures looking to design,
build and maintain a modern
brand from the ground up.

10. We believe the role of a designer extends
far beyond the act of designing.

11. We ask designers to:
!
•Understand how to define and craft a company’s belief and purpose
•Effectively evaluate product categories and understand culture
•Develop good ideas that support the brand strategy
•Represent your own ideas to the client (We don’t have account people)
•Facilitate collaboration with the client and team members throughout
the process

12. Our process helps keep us on strategy
and forces us to think differently
Belief and
Purpose
Uncovering a
company’s reason
for being
Competitive Audit
and Whitespace
How to set
ourselves apart
from our
competitors
Moodboard
Exercise
Visually define the
whitespace in the
category
Sketch
A framework to
help us find as
many unexpected
combinations as
possible
Design
Bring our ideas to
life in a way that is
well-executed and
strategically
sound

13. !
Belief and Purpose
!
•What is the one unique belief this company has that sets them apart
from everyone else?
•Based on that belief, what is this company built to do?

14. !
Competitive Audit and Whitespace
!
•Identify the visual clichés that all of our competitors seem to be doing
•Find ways this brand can be disruptive to the category while still being
true to their brand values

15. !
Moodboard
!
•Visually define the whitespace that makes sense for this brand
•Develop a clear POV on color, type, iconography, photography, patterns
and textures.
•Start with more images than you think you need, but edit to about 10-12
images in the end

16. !
Sketches
!
•A framework to help us find as many unexpected combinations as possible
•The goal is to explore lots of ideas rather than strive for perfection

17. Idea 01:
Idea 02:
Idea 03:
Idea 04:
Idea 05:
Idea 01: Idea 02: Idea 03: Idea 04: Idea 05:

18. Idea 01:
Idea 02:
Idea 03:
Idea 04:
Idea 05:
Idea 01: Idea 02: Idea 03: Idea 04: Idea 05:
!
Design
!
•Apply the look and feel of the moodboard to the best ideas from our
sketching session
•We prefer to show fewer options, but make sure they are on strategy
•While we have a moodboard as a guidepost, we try to push our initial design
directions as far apart as possible
•The time we spend in our upfront process should make the design job much
clearer

19. The following are the process
examples that our design team
presented at Design Camp.

20. Circle
Built on the conviction that digital currency will change
the world for the better, Circle is the first brand to deliver
consumer and merchant services built on top of digital
currencies like Bitcoin.

21. Brand Attributes:
Freeing
Disruptive
Instantaneous
User-focused
Seamless
Accessible
Personal
Simple
Enjoyable
Brand Belief:
Money should work for all of us.
Brand Purpose:
Put the power of money in your hands.

23. Whitespace:
• Focus on lifestyle, not technology
• Talk to real people, not investors
• Go beyond reducing friction,
make it fun.
Category Clichés:
Financially-geared
Faceless
Investor-focused
Pain-free
Authoritative
Cold
Safe & Predictable
Flat Color
Disruption:
Culturally-geared
Human
Consumer-focused
Enjoyable
Transparent
Welcoming
Innovative
Bright, shifting color

26. CIRCLE
CIRCLE
CIRCLE
CIRCLE CIRCLE

28. ICONOGRAPHY
TYPOGRAPHY COLOR PALETTE
TYPOGRAPHY COLORS GRADIENTS
TYPOGRAPHY COLORS GRADIENTS
Proxima Nova Extrabold
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn
Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
01234567890
Proxima Nova Extrabold
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn
Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
01234567890
Proxima Nova Bold
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn
Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
01234567890
Proxima Nova Bold
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn
Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
01234567890
Proxima Nova Regular
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn
Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
01234567890
Proxima Nova Regular
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn
Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
01234567890
LOGO
ILLUSTRATIONS

32. MOODBOARD SKETCHES OPTIONS FINAL DESIGN
CIRCLE
CIRCLE

33. Minnesota United
Pro soccer boasts a four-decade history in Minnesota
but faced an identity crisis. With new name and a new
spirit, Minnesota United FC set out to give local fans a
team to call their own.

34. Brand Attributes:
Unified
Uniquely Minnesotan
Accessible
Honoring tradition
Future focused
Passionate
Competitive
Community Outreach
Optimistic
Persistent
!
!
Brand Belief:
Soccer has the power to unite people from all
walks of life.
Brand Purpose:
Create a soccer team for all Minnesotans.

36. Whitespace:
• Clean and sophisticated
• Evokes classic soccer while
feeling true to Minnesota.
• Locally rooted, with global
ambitions
Disruption:
Clean
Understated
European
Classic/Timeless
Purposeful use of color
Flat
Sophisticated
!
Category Clichés:
Glossy
Aggressive
American
Literal
Loud color
Bevel & Emboss
Overwrought

45. MOODBOARD SKETCHES OPTIONS FINAL DESIGN

46. Prepare + Prosper
Dedicated to bringing low income families out of the
poverty cycle, Prepare + Prosper mobilizes financial
professionals around the twin cities to offer tax &
financial services to those who need them most while
also working to change policy at a national level.

48. Elements to build around:
• Bright, optimistic color palette
• Photos & quotes from real people
Elements that had to go:
• That name

49. Brand Attributes:
Smart
Experienced
Comfortable
Transparent
Accessible
Collaborative
Quirky
Nerdy
Fun
Brand Belief:
Everyone should have the right to economic
stability.
Brand Purpose:
Improve the overall financial well-being and
futures of low-income families.

51. Whitespace:
• Introduce a fun & quirky spirit to
the financial sector
• Look accountable & legitimate
among non-profits
• Represent the innovative people
in the org, not what they do
Disruption:
Refined
Thoughtful
Unique
Friendly
Ownable
Inviting
Fun
Simple
Category Clichés:
Haphazard
Unsophisticated
Predictable
Cold
Generic
Intimidating
Boring
Busy

54. HELPING PEOPLE ACHIEVE FINANCIAL SECURITY
HELPING PEOPLE ACHIEVE FINANCIAL SECURITY

63. MOODBOARD SKETCHES OPTIONS FINAL DESIGN

64. We hope you’re able to walk away with
some easy ways to keep thinking broad
and strategically when you approach
your next branding assignment.

65. Missy Reinikainen Brad Surcey
Grant Wilson
Rachel Hardacre
@missyaustin3
@bsurcey
@grantwilson
Stacia Burtis
@staciaburtis
Peter Petrulo
@orangetrulo
Alex Register
@alex_register
Brian Danaher
@madeforending
Gordon McIntyre-Lee
The ZJ Design Team