west elm

Context

Partner with west elm to articulate a new strategic path forward that scales the business beyond retail into a resonant, experience-driven, multi-dimensional lifestyle brand.

Strategy

Re-center the west elm brand around three new purpose-driven pillars that showcase the value of its products alongside the values of its customers—from sustainable style, to supporting local businesses.

Solution

From brand voice to brand imagery, our new brand foundation breaks west elm outside its four walls, re-envisioning the company as a destination for good design that’s good for everyone.

Brand Workshops

Sustainable Strategy

Collaborative Activation

Brand Workshops

What does it take to stand out in an industry of mass-marketed, mass-produced, and uninspiring products?

When west elm first came to us to help redefine their brand strategy, it was clear the company wanted to be doing something more. Over the past decade, the Brooklyn-based design studio has taken its industry by storm with a unique offering of stylish and accessible home goods—but was looking for a better way to communicate its sustainability, community, and lifestyle-focused initiatives.

We began our process with a series of workshops that challenged stakeholders across the company to think in new, creative ways about the heart of the west elm brand. From pain points, to proud moments, to collectively envision the future of “home,” we were able to help the company uncover a new mission—one that sets out to transform people’s lives with creativity, style, and purpose; where good design can also do good for us, together.

Sustainable Strategy

Why should people have to choose between looking good and feeling good about the spaces they call home?

From there, we built a strategic identity designed to help take west elm from a stylish and successful furniture company to a multi-faceted, experience-driven lifestyle brand. From laying out a new brand positioning and tone of voice, to workshopping a new brand manifesto, we helped set the stage for everyone at west elm—from marketing experts to local ceramic makers—to start designing with purpose in everything they do.

At the heart of west elm’s new strategy is a celebration of all the makers, innovators, style guides, and creative community members that make west elm more than just the sum of its parts. Our new strategy and messaging guidelines also paved the way for west elm’s transition into new industries and experiential offerings that help the brand stand apart from both its mass-market and high-price competition.

Collaborative Activation

Today, everyone at west elm is united behind the belief that extraordinary design should create extraordinary impacts.

Finally, we worked together with west elm’s design team to create a new brand guide and creative exploration of next-generation visuals designed to bring the company’s new purpose-driven outlook to life. Our work is now celebrated throughout west elm’s Brooklyn headquarters with posters and printed collateral that consistently remind staffers to think creatively and purposefully about what they’re making. It’s also made its way into much of the brand’s consumer touchpoints—from a new, interactive design & values page on the west elm website, to forthcoming community-led retail experiences set to redefine what home decor can be in a post-modern future.