Unplugged.Rest
Polishing the brand and website to create a warm, homely, dependable feel
Intro
Unplugged is an off-grid digital detox designed to return your brain and body to factory settings. The brand is leading a movement towards a more mindful and intentional way of living through tech-free retreats, mindfulness tools, and educational resources. Their mission is to help encourage individuals to disconnect from their screens and reconnect with the present moment and cultivate a deeper connection with themselves and their surroundings.
Challenge
- Rework the branding to bring the acclaimed, classic and professional feel that the brand has worked hard to create amongst its audience
- Resolve the confusion caused by having two different versions of the word "Unplugged" in different styles to establish a consistent and unified brand identity
- Freshen up the website to match the new brand guidelines and next generation of the brand
- Redesign the website to be cleaner, more engaging, and easier to navigate, with a focus on streamlining the booking journey to improve conversion rates.
Key Ideas & Insights
Uncomplicating the primary logo
The original logo was great, it was just too busy. A busy logo can get lost across different touchpoints and lose its punch. There’s also the ‘dark mode dilemma’ which means logos can appear completely different when users are choosing dark mode. We knew Unplugged could use a stripped-back, simple logo that was instantly recognisable and memorable but still kept the character of the original concept.
Favouring professionalism and trustworthiness over fun and aesthetically pleasing
Initially, Unplugged went for a Script font for their logo which whilst fun it can come across as juvenile for a brand. It doesn’t position them with professionalism and reliability like a Serif font would.
Bringing warmth to the colour palette to bring a welcoming feel
When analysing the colour palette we felt it was missing warmth. Warm colours evoke images of cosy, balmy evenings, something that we relate to our home environment. Therefore, we knew the colour palette needed some sunshine.
Adding texture to the visuals to give the brand a more homely energy
Texture can really bring character and depth to a brand’s aesthetic and help to give merit to the narrative of a nature-based brand. We decided that some natural texture like paper would help to build the brand’s story in the mind of the audience. The site sections are split by ripped edges for a tactile feel, and soft rounded corners to complement the logotype, integrating the branding and design cohesively.
Putting the user journey first to ensure people feel at ease on the platform like they do with the product
Collaborating with Easol and Unplugged, the website's user experience was significantly improved by focusing on streamlining the booking journey. We took a customer-centric, conversion-led approach when designing the booking system so the customer felt like they were already on holiday before they’d even left the website.
Refining the brand guidelines to match the conscientious, educational, and friendly ethos the brand has created
Small tweaks can make a big difference, and this was especially true for Unplugged. As they’d established their brand nicely in the minds of their customers, they needed some refinement to pull everything together. Through the typography, colour palette, texture and logo refinement; the brand felt more like a classic or a go-to rather than the new brand on the block. We selected a beautiful retro-ish soft Serif called Gelica, which added a touch of class and approachability.
