From code to color: brand world building at scale.

 
 

Twilio’s 12-year history was defined by continual brand evolution. But with the company skyrocketing to Global scale in the short year(s) of the pandemic, the Brand needed some big love.

It was time for a more capable, comprehensive, and connected brand system.

Establishing new Brand Values kicked off the journey. From there, our small, but mighty team put on our strategic upgrade, brand alignment, design greatness, legendary events, Global inclusion, and accessibility hats and got to work.

Hurry! Get the phone, someone’s calling…

Ahoy?

Seated woman holding cell phone, looking at the camera
"Ahoy" the Twilio Brand System
Meet the Twilio Sans family!
Twilio Sans
Twilio Sans italic
Twilio Sans Display weights
Twilio Sans x-heights
Twilio Sans Mono

Fresh
homepage

Homepage before Ahoy Brand System

Homepage after Ahoy Brand System

Modernizing imagery

Reflective of the updated Brand direction, this animated explainer video charted the new course of Twilio as a Customer Engagement Platform. Imagery demonstrated an elevated, expanded expression:

  • Representation: inclusive, nuanced customers with unique personalities

  • Color: expanding the breadth and sensibility to mature and add relevance

  • Use of 3D: represents fully realized customers, adding a new vocabulary to the imagery style

Brand success: measuring with metrics

Like a neglected garden, some parts of Global Brand didn’t grow at the same rate as others. To stop the atrophy, I established the first (ever) measurement metrics for the Twilio Brand. This would enable data collection to a) establish a data-driven baseline and b) kick off project triage.

The approach included:

  • Data-driven: qualitative and quantitative metrics

  • Balanced and thorough: data gathered cross-functionally, internally and externally

  • Teams for the win: cross-functional team, from VP-level leadership to members early-in-career all with a single timeline and mission

  • Future-facing: using a systematic approach to Trend & Insight forecasting, I trained the team up for what to expect in industry over the next 2+ years. This set them up to design for adaptation and lead into the (trend) curve.

Global Swag

At Twilio, swag was big business. Including apparel, accessories, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and custom, seasonal event gifting, the swag program supported everyone from leadership to internal culture, international customers to teams across the globe.

  • global support through online Swag Shop; connected to international production and shipping supply chains

  • designed in house, brand-aligned, as niche as possible

  • curated to support 3 pricing tiers

  • ethically and sustainably sourced and produced

Twilio sticker graphics by Andrea Gonzales
Twilio knit hat by Stephen Michal
Twilio shoes laces by Stephen Michal
Twilio sticker graphics by Andrea Gonzales

With Global scale comes new challenges.

Starting with the Global launch of Twilio Sans in 2022, the identity got a massive top-to-bottom update including brand values, system structure, content guidelines, color, and imagery (illustration and customer photography).

Swag got an overhaul, too, including building an internal ordering platform with Salesforce integration.

This badass, fresh system even got a fresh name reflective of Twilio’s history: Ahoy!

Client: Twilio

Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Twilio global teams (EMEA, APJ, APAC, NAMER)

Season: 2021—2023

Role: Creative Direction, Art Direction, Brand Strategy lead, Project leadership

Partners & collaborators: Jennie Janzen, Casey Stegman, Nathan Sharp, Aaron Olsen, Liz Bryson, Andrea Gonzales, Stephen Michal

Type design: Sharp Type

Illustration/mural: Spencer Gabor

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