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In Relentless Pursuit of Opportunity

You may have noticed some changes around Goose Island lately—new signage here, a gorgeous mural there, a sense of things coming to life. We can thank the masterminds at R2, an investment group specializing in one-of-a-kind real estate, for re-activating the long-dormant island.

There’s a whole lot ahead for Goose Island, and for R2, in 2020. We helped them prepare with a holistic brand refresh and web overhaul. After months of hard work and co-creation, we’re thrilled to share the new look and feel—it’s minimalist and modern with a dash of the unexpected. Built to flex, it brings the full breadth of the company’s skills together in one cohesive story. Case study coming soon (with a few bonus features)!

View the New R2

Real Life, Understood

We take personal wellness seriously around these parts. So imagine our delight when Ego + Id, the folks behind Heard, a new mental health app, came knocking on our door. (Are you imagining our delight? Good. Now double it.)

Created by a career psychoanalyst, Heard goes beyond meditation. Founded on the tenets of cognitive behavioral therapy, it provides rigorously researched insights and exercises to guide users through life’s up and downs, complete with habit and mood tracking. With beta tests ongoing, we’re working with the Heard team to flesh out the brand strategy and eventually, the look and feel. For now, check out the Heard website—they’re on the hunt for a few good voices.

Equity Everywhere

Firebelly friends and fam in the Bay Area, you’re not going to want to miss this—on January 16, fearless leader and all-around force of nature Antionette Carroll is taking the main stage at In/Visible Talks, a design conference that goes beyond the expected. We’re huge fans of Antionette’s work, and judging by the year she’s had, we’re far from alone. Her studio, Creative Reaction Lab, was just honored with a SXSW Community Service Award.

Give Creative Reaction Lab a follow and be sure to dig into their resources, especially the Equity-Centered Community Design Field Guide. 2020’s going to be all about building strength and capacity—let’s keep learning from and loving each other.

Something to Type About

While Typeforce may no longer be a studio project, we kept is close as could be. Design Director Will Miller and Designer Extraordinaire Nermin Moufti have taken the reins and together, they aim to take Typeforce to new heights.

The dynamic duo’s got a few ideas up their sleeves for connecting the Typeforce community all year round. More to come on that front in the coming months, but for now, get excited, because Typeforce 11 is just around the corner. Mark your calendars for opening night, February 21.

Connect the Dots

We’re often asked to explain our process: how do we get from point a to point b? Simple as the question is, the answer’s rarely so concise. It all depends! What’s the need, who’s the audience, what do we know, what don’t we know, how might we learn it, what needs to get built and how do we build it…sometimes it’s straightforward. Sometimes it’s more of a circuitous path. But we always get where we’re going.

This month, resident squiggler/strategy ace Ariel graces our Thoughts with a whimsical take on how we get there. Caution: Metaphors Ahead.