Insignia Portfolio
Project Description
In 2013, Apex was preparing to launch a major product update complete with a rebrand and entirely new literature. In all, the project took about a year from conception to completion. I spent a majority of the time shooting some original photography, designing page layouts and interviewing printers. We worked with John Thomas, an excellent writer here in the Indianapolis area on some bold, captivating titles to accompany the image-heavy spreads. We found a world-class printer at the time to help us pull it off, and it even won a few printing accolades along the way. By the time we were done, the piece was so nice that calling it "literature" just didn't do it justice. So, we affectionately called it "the portfolio," as it represents the best that Apex has to offer.
Work Performed
- Branding
- Conceptual Direction
- Photography
- Graphic Design
- Copywriting
- Production Direction
Client
Apex Energy Group (Employee)
Front cover of the 2019 run of the Insignia Portfolio with new custom brush raised spot UV.
The Insignia Brand
Wordmark: The Insignia logotype is the predominate element associated with the Insignia brand. The word Insignia is a Latin word that means “a distinguished sign or mark.” Because of it’s origin, we wanted a strong logotype that had Roman influence. The logotype is given structure through the use of heightened “I” and “A” letters on each end to represent Roman columns. These columns are connected by a single line that serves as the foundation of the structure to complete the aesthetic.
Wooshmark: The Insignia “Woosh” mark was created to supplement the Insignia logotype. The “Woosh” draws inspiration from ancient culture as well and is modeled after the fluid shape found within the wings of the statue “Winged Victory of Samothrace.” The statue represents victory and triumph and we really liked that metaphor for Apex in that our product conquers all others. To tie the “Woosh” into our existing Apex branding, we used the green paint from our Apex logo to create the green stroke of energy that makes up the shape of the “Woosh.” This mark was originally hand-painted by our founder and then CEO, Michael Foit. I took the painted version and recreated it in both a digital raster and vectorized form.
Original Photography
Apex prided itself on creating original content at all cost (which is one of the things I loved about working there). I was tasked with shooting some original photography of our product so I worked with some of our previous Apex customers to coordinate interior and exterior shots of their home. At the time (and still to this day) it was unique in the industry to showcase actual project homes in this way, as most manufacturers simply provide literature on their products that utilize composited units or staged homes.
Spread Design
We wanted to showcase some of the unique components of the Insignia window system, so I created a few full page spreads designs to tell the story visually. I also created this full spread timeline page to highlight some of the key milestones in the history of Apex.
World-class Printing
Apex always put a premium on quality printed materials. I think in part due to their business model, where they are engaging with customers at the door only (no other forms of advertising), it is critical to set a strong first impression. Putting a quality print-piece in the hands of the customer immediately lets them know we’re legitimate. After vetting several printers, we found our way to a printer in Kentucky called Henegan who had won many printing awards and was up for the task. We later sought out a secondary printer in Chicago called Classic Color, who might be one of the best speciality printers in the country right now. We utilized high-quality paper stocks, soft-touch laminate for the cover, several spot UV touches (including a few raised puddle spots), and included a die-cut pocket and business card slot in the back for storing inserts and job paperwork. This piece is absolutely stunning in person and has been undoubtedly instrumental in the growth Apex has seen over the years.
