Creating a brand for an advertising data app
Verdanote (Pre-seed Startup) • Sole Brand Designer, Independent Contract
Role
Sole Brand Designer, independent contract
Team
Founder and founding product team
Timeline
February 2024 (3 weeks)
Status
Shipped
Context
Verdanote is a web app that helps social media managers gain creative direction and understand what content to produce next based on ad performance analytics. Product features include ad reporting, benchmarking, tracking ad iterations, and note-taking, all in one platform.
How I added value
I worked directly with the founder to create a brand identity (logo, color palette, typography) inspired by Verdanote's platform and its commitment to supporting the growth of its users' communities. I pitched several logo options by walking through my design process, the narrative behind each design, and discussing comparable saas company brand identities.
Goals
The founder wanted a sleek, professional logo and wordmark that aligned with the clean, minimal aesthetics of leading SaaS brands. I aimed to create a scalable brand identity that would establish trust with Verdanote’s users, focusing on the following goals:
1. Modern and Professional – An overall brand identity that looks current and credible in the SaaS space.
2. Minimal and Versatile – A logo that stands out without feeling overly complex.
Research and inspiration
Competitor analysis and logo trends
I examined branding from SaaS and tech-driven companies noting key trends:
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Clean sans-serif wordmarks for a sleek, geometric iconography for scalability
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Minimalist color palettes for a professional and modern look
Letterforms and symbolism
The word 'Verde' means 'green' in Portuguese, which is why Verdanote's brand color is green. 'Note' refers to one of the product's key features: notetaking. Inspired by LogoArchive, I explored mid-century and brutalist logo design, which prioritizes bold, high-contrast marks that are both timeless and versatile.
I was drawn to logos featuring V- and A-shaped or triangular designs due to their:
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Sharper angles that convey growth and forward momentum
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Symmetry and balance, making them visually strong and memorable
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Minimalist abstraction, allowing for scalability across branding materials
Moodboard and visual direction
I curated references to my design inspiration to show the founder when presenting my final work:
Iterations and feedback
Early drafts
Upon researching trends and finding inspiration, I hopped into Figma right away to illustrate dozens of drafts. Some designs were used as bases for future iterations, most not so good ones were left in the graveyard :)
Final brand concept
Final Logo
The final logo incorporates both a v-shape and sticky note illustration which references Verdanote's in-app notetaking tool.
Typography and color palette
For typography, I chose Urbanist to be used for Verdanote's wordmark, which complements the logo’s bold and modern aesthetic while ensuring readability. The primary brand colour is a dark green that ties back to the meaning of 'Verda' and communicates trust, stability, and growth.
Presentation and comparison
To present my final work to the founder of Verdanote, I showcased my design alongside logos that they identified as relevant references, based on their familiarity with Verdanote's audience.
Always iterating
One of my rejected logos in the design process was repurposed as an illustration to communicate single and team plans on the website that I designed.
