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Trailhead Insurance
BRAND STRATEGY · BRAND IDENTITY DESIGN · WEB DESIGN · CONCEPT
A young start up in Denver, CO needed an identity that stood head and shoulders above the competition.
The Situation
The founders of Trailhead saw an opportunity to build something lasting in the great city of Denver, Colorado. They needed a voice that stood out and attracted the right attention to tell their story honestly and loudly.
As a startup, the trick was to create something out of nothing by clearly identifying who they were speaking to, what they wanted to say, and revealing a natural visual identity that carried their voice.
The Insight
Home to some of the most breathtaking mountain views, Colorado attracts people who are active and outdoorsy. Trails winding through rocky mountain passes are rugged, challenging, and typical weekend fair for locals seeking a breath of fresh air.
Trailhead needed an identity that connected their unique sense of place with the population of outgoing weekend warriors, and introduce a sense of ease that was unique to their market, and confidence that was necessary to take on generational competitors in the area.
The Work
The proposal started with a comprehensive competitive brand analysis to establish a starting point and create a backdrop for the Trailhead identity to stand against.
Operating primarily as a brokerage, Trailhead Insurance needed to sit firmly between two camps: providers and local brokers. Their branding needed to be able to play with the big boys while standing out in the local market. Considering how many of the local brands seemed to be untouched in recent years, Trailhead already had a huge advantage creating a contemporary brand and modern website.
From observation, we learned quickly what was necessary and where we could innovate in their brand. The research showed we needed a balance: something traditional, reliable, and local to fit in; something bold and relatable to stand out and build trust.
We started harnessing emotion and trust with messaging, typography, and color.
Inspired by local trail signage, we started the logo with a contemporary sans serif that was solid, tall, and familiar enough to feel friendly. Pairing it with a strong but not too serious serif in the tagline gave the whole thing a sense of formality appropriate for the space.
The tagline, "Who you can trust" communicated authority and confidence, and became the inspiration for the logo mark
The brand mark was the real challenge. It needed to stand on its own and establish a visual language for the rest of the imagery to come. While several brand mark concepts were introduced, ultimately, there was a single concept that felt natural and ticked all of the boxes for this brand.
The great horned owl. A common site on many Colorado nature trails. A symbol of wisdom & vision. Commanding the skies with ease and grace, its talons gripped firmly on its perch. Clear, evocative, and natural. Set against a bright sunrise in a confident, luxurious green, this mark spoke wealth to a population of nature admirers.
From there, the rest of the brand system flowed naturally: bright clear photos of the owl in flight, deep greens dominate to capture the lush wealth of spruce and pine across the state.
The Result
Trailhead received a creative, dynamic brand and messaging system that connected with their local clients and set them apart from competitors.
The iconic great horned owl became a defining character in the market while they remained open, and shortly after launching, they were acquired and the owl was formally retired in dignity.
"This brand does everything it needs to: it tells our story, helps us stand against our competitors, and looks really f*ckin cool."
— CHASE R, TRAILHEAD INSURANCE
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