ABOUT

Urban Gardeners Republic provide support to people wanting to start or develop a gardening project, regardless of their experience or the size of their garden. We had the great pleasure of working with their team to create and develop their brand identity for a global launch.

As with all branding projects, we sat down (with tea and cake of course) to discuss the exciting plans for their business moving forward. Discovering how they differentiate from competitors and how their services and products resonate with customers combine with other key factors to develop the foundations for the brand.

The post-industrial landscape has left people cut off from the processes of making physical things and using their hands. Mass-produced, mass-market goods lack creativity and soul. The desire to create something tangible with our hands generates a sense of pride and improves self-esteem. There is also a desire to escape the digital world and find a hobby that reduces stress and increases relaxation whilst improving physical health. Through gardening, UGR can appeal to this growing DIY movement, particularly millennials who are looking to play an active role in customizing content and products.

We developed UGR’s ideal client who consist of adults aged between 25-39, with a slightly female majority, living in developed countries and spend a large amount of time per day online. This target audience, referred to as Generation Y has a tendency to promote their latest creations and discover unique projects to try themselves.

We established the following objectives from the brand strategy session. Firstly, to cement UGR into the urban gardening reference for creative projects, supported locally by contracted UGR employees and by a global community. Secondly, to become the go to brand for DIY gardening projects. Their mission is to enable people to change their lifestyle and have access to creative gardening solutions suitable for everybody. Their target was to develop 1000 gardens in 100 cities around the world within 5 years.

In order to rank UGR as a leader in their industry and achieve their goals, we had to curate a vision that put the customer at the forefront….

UGR is the creative solution and community to achieving a sustainable change for a new life balance. UGR is a community that inspires people. No matter the level of proficiency, the space you have at home, if you have a garden or not, or any other conditions, UGR helps people craft their own garden and guides them along the way. UGR is a community filled with passionate gardeners and people like all of us that are focused on having a better, cleaner and relaxed lifestyle while growing their favorite plants and vegetables.

The visual identity stage begins with listening to the customer, taking note of keywords and phrases and translating them into visuals.

One of the most symbolic and recognisable visuals of the gardening world is a leaf. The same can be said of a tower block for an urban scene. We developed the logo by merging the leaf and apartment block together. The singular green line within the icon represents a thriving garden, full of life within one of the floors of the apartment block. The outline of the icon with an opening to the bottom-left represents a welcoming and growing community.

The colour system consists of carefully curated shades that assemble the primary palette. Green naturally connects with the horticultural world, with a bright and energetic hue that relates to the younger audience who are reliant on digital products as part of their daily routine. The contrasting grey conveys the urban environments in which gardens can be developed, whilst being universal and non-gender specific.

The third primary orange shade symbolises the colour that a new garden can bring, along with the physical and mental benefits, such as a new lease of life and joy from a DIY creation.

Bebas Neue was selected as the primary typeface, with a bold-condensed weight chosen that signifies the towering structures that create an urban skyline.

The straightforwardness and simple warmth to the font makes it easy to apply across print and digital platforms.

The need for UGR and their services are easy to relate to, particularly in a world with overcrowded cities where digital dependence is high. Their process allows people to be guided through the development of a garden, whilst feeling they’re in charge, resulting in higher levels of satisfaction and personal achievement. Given Generation Y’s tendency to show off their creations, commonly on social platforms, the referrals and fans of UGR have helped develop an all-important brand awareness.

We completed brand guidelines, with a variety of instructions, such as the usage of the logo, typography, photography, colours and iconography in order to protect the brand throughout all communications.

In order to develop interest and boost website sign-ups for the new UGR brand, we designed a variety of lead magnets. These sign-up or opt-in incentives included beginner gardener checklists, sowing guides and ideal plant companions.