Tag: Visual development

  • Sparking a passion for science and technology

    Sparking a passion for science and technology

    A global nonprofit organization founded by well-known inventor Dean Kamen, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) is dedicated to improving education and interest in science. The company touches the lives of nearly 700,000 kids globally through its robotics programs. Kamen, holder of more than 1000 patents and founder of DEKA Research and Development, set a vision for the organization to “create a world where science and technology are celebrated…where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes.”

    The identity of FIRST is an excellent example of a grass-roots creation that takes a life of its own through its application. Unlike regimented corporate programs, the company’s symbol is applied freely to just about everything imaginable inside and outside event venues – by FIRST staff, by the thousands of teams and fans, and by the many corporate sponsors and partners contributing time and resources.

    Tenet Partners donated its services and talents to helping FIRST create a new logo and signature system that updates its image, solves a range of application issues, and clarifies the structure of the growing nonprofit’s numerous offerings.

  • Dow

    Dow

    A business strategy built on sustainability

    Sustainability is about much more than being “green.” It’s become a vitally important part of business strategy for enterprises like Dow, one of the world’s most prominent materials science companies.

    Dow has long been a trendsetter in environmental, social and governance (ESG), the core tenets of sustainable business practices. The company worked with Tenet Partners to turn that leadership into market advantage, through a comprehensive sustainability-driven product brand framework and award-winning visual design system.

    elements of Dow's design
    Dow banner
    Dow product bag

    Going deep on impact establishes credibility

    The practice of “greenwashing”—making sustainability claims without backing them up—has done more harm than good for many industrial brands. Dow knew it had to do more than put a sustainability spin on its existing portfolio. The company had to demonstrate impact: how its products contribute to sustainability for its customers and in turn, their customers.

    Brand expression that looks to the future

    Dow needed to telegraph its future direction, but there was an inherent tension: not all Dow products can be thought of as sustainable, and those that are don’t stand out. The solution was to give Dow’s sustainable brands a distinct identity, with a “Sustainability Science”-focused product brand architecture driven by key impact attributes such as carbon reduction and reduced resource use.

    Dow event

    Giving Dow’s sustainability brands a life of their own

    The new sustainability brands had to both fit within and complement the overall Dow brand: to be unmistakably “Dow” while having their own unique identity. Tenet designers solved the challenge by focusing on easily recognizable elements already present in Dow’s brand expression, such as color and shapes—creating a visual system-within-a-system that left the overall brand identity untouched.

    Dow website on a monitor
    circular diagram of Dow iconography
    three Dow brochure covers

    More than sustainable products—a sustainable direction

    By thoughtfully crafting a cohesive sustainability brand framework and bringing it to life while complementing the master Dow brand, the enterprise has the tools it needs to carry its focus on Sustainability Science into the future, without interfering with the core business.

    Tenet’s visual system work for Dow won Bronze in the 2023 Transform Awards, for best visual design in Dow’s sector—a reflection of well-crafted brand strategy made tangible.

    Dow-branded Smart car
    Dow-branded insulated water bottle