Zulip
After six years, this open-source chat-tech company wanted a developer-centric brand refresh that reflected who they truly were
Zulip offers the immediacy of real-time chat and the time savings of email threading, letting you catch up on important conversations while ignoring irrelevant ones.
Zulip wanted their new brand to convey the simplicity and coolness of open-source chat, but with a light-hearted approachability. The finished rebrand seamlessly combines the best of both: A new brand design that communicates cutting-edge technology through dark and sleek interfaces, mixed with pops of techno colors and a fun underwater theme. All topped with a quirky octopus mascot.
Strategy
We began with a series of in-depth brand strategy workshops to discover what Zulip meant for stakeholders, how they’d thought of themselves before, and what direction they wanted to go. It became clear that, in order to support an ambitious product roadmap, Zulip needed to get bold. We created a brand strategy guide that placed Zulip at the cutting edge, using powerful language and strong brand characteristics. Zulip is beloved by the open-source community, so we made sure that the new brand reflected that as well.
Identity
Our designer took Zulip’s new strategy and created an identity that positioned them squarely as a superior chat app. We developed dozens of logo options, many of them using the octopus. Ultimately, we landed on a stunning mark that was sleek and modern.
Mascot
An important component of Zulip’s personality, one they wanted to bring with them, was their beloved octopus emoji. We brainstormed ways to bring this character to life, bestowing it with a personality all its own. Bring on the plushies!
Voice & Messaging
Too many companies leave out their brand voice strategy — surprising given how important text is to every communication. Through stakeholder interviews and iteration, we made sure Zulip’s brand voice expressed the brand’s personality in a way that appealed to their key audiences. Then, we refined their messaging architecture to help every department speak as one.
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