36 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 10 architectural and design divisions that were already clearly defined and established in the company. “We realized that our core point of view in design is coming from a brand lens,” Vandenbrink recalls. “It wasn’t until another company told us what we were doing that we realized that we’re a brand or branding agency as well,” Vandenbrink suggests. “Today our office is a mix of talent that can lead the variety of things we do. We have Creative Directors, Art Directors, Architects and interior designers.” “Branding for us is essentially customer-focused design. With our brand perspective, all aspects of a design are woven in with the brand. Brand for us is more than graphics or a logo. Branded design is about thinking about the entire environment as a way to connect with customers.” “Every touch point in a space from menus, furniture, signage, exterior design are all moments to reinforce the brand experience. So it is not just a secondary layer – like a bumper sticker on a car. For us the brand is what decisions you make to design the entire car.” “When we approach projects like this, design is a business tool that helps customers connect with our clients.” “The true strength for our clients is that our full team is engaged in projects. It is a deeply collaborative approach which means we bring to our clients a variety of viewpoints to any problem. What do they sayif you give someone a hammer all they see are nails? We’re like a Swiss Army Knife, we have so many tools, you just use the one you need.”
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