The idea is the soul. The product is the body. The identity is the shirt and pants. Let's go to work.

At The Engine Room, we involve ourselves with products and services in which we see promise and potential. Although design is a critical component to a great brand, it can’t do all the heavy lifting. In fact, we’d be silly to say it can do most of the heavy lifting. For a brand to be successful amidst the flood of products on the shelves today, the brand needs a soul. By soul, we mean a great idea that’s different… and it’s important for that difference to be relevant to consumers. All forces of the branding effort should be in healthy working order. The idea, the product, the words, the budget, the people and the design around it. If the brand’s body and soul are in good shape, we’ll make sure it’s well-dressed. And it’ll probably get some whistles on the street.

When developing an identity, our objectives are that:

• 1) there is truth
• 2) the message is clear
• 3) uniqueness is exploited
• 4) something unexpected happens

If design was predictable, we’d find it boring. Although our creative process embarks on a defined track, we remain open to unforeseeable possibilities along the way. This combination of control and curiosity is quite helpful in the development of a thoughtful, yet fresh, look and feel.