HD Group Brand Development
HD Group is an employment agency based in Etobicoke, ON- focusing on talent acquisition and streamlining business solutions for various clients. While keeping their existing logo and brand colours, I worked to further establish their brand by cultivating a personable, relatable, and vibrant agency from the inside out. The project involved redesigning their existing brand communication materials and rewriting brand messages on various platforms such as brochures, websites, and social media accounts. Below is a signage design executed at the entrance of the agency- its purpose is to inform and persuade HD Group's clients to download the HD Group Worker App upon its release.
Website Design
We started by dissecting the website and creating a plan for something breathable, inviting, and easy to navigate. I focused on balancing brand elements, white space, easy-to-read text, and the placement of CTAs- prioritizing accessibility for their diverse target audience. During this time, the company was on track to launch a mobile application to help its employees find and schedule jobs. Therefore, upon first glance, the website focuses heavily on pushing the app to consumers rather than their B2B connections.
You can navigate through the live website at: https://www.hdgroup.ca/
As well as the redesign, I directed the flow of information throughout the website. It was critical to prioritize B2C connections on the landing page by prompting potential clients to download the HD application. However, keeping their B2B connections in mind, the website eventually splits between information intended for potential employees looking to start work and employers looking to hire.
The brand elements developed during this process are brand core values and brand personality- which directed the diction and tone of the verbiage used throughout the website. Written content and branded stylized illustrations were developed during this phase (prioritizing SEO impacts) and then mirrored into the app design, social media, and window murals to keep the branding uniform throughout all media.
Branded Illustrations
To represent HD Group's upbeat and lively brand, I created illustrations to portray this element of their personality. I decided on 2D flat designs for the brand illustrations- using minimal shapes, colours and textures. From a strategic brand-building perspective- continued use of this style from the brand alongside communication materials would eventually reinforce brand recognition and familiarity within the industry. With the various redesigns happening simultaneously, this was a great option as images in these vectorized formats would be efficient and responsive on any scale for web, mobile and print.
Mobile App UI Design
I worked alongside in-house developers to design the HD Group application interface, ensuring that it was uniform with the website design in its visual aesthetic, personality and tone. With the flow of pages developed by the team beforehand, it was my responsibility to place the content, interactive pieces, and information in a way that was easy and accessible for users to understand and navigate.
A breakdown of the application is showcased here.
The following is a tutorial brochure for the mobile application. It was created for use in emails to existing clients when the transition from web to app took place:
Social Media
During this time, I developed and executed social media content as required to keep the clients updated on the application release and it’s various features. The content was also created in a tutorial format to teach users on how to complete tasks using the app.
You can view the full all the content and animations here