Regrets Only’s atmospheric identity system for Moss reflects the infinite potential of creativity

Looking to flip the experience of collaborative digital working on its head, Moss is a workflow tool that allows multiple users to effortlessly share their work with one another, in a single virtual environment. Allowing the creative process to flow easily without having to re-export files, dig around for lost folders, Moss is looking to change the game, and required an identity to similarly match their creative attitude and graphic confidence.

Turning to Boston-based creative studio Regrets Only, the resulting atmospheric identity translates Moss’ pioneering attitude with a cool, calm and collected tone; using a dynamic combination of familiar digital ephemera and Moss’ own UI to achieve as much. Compiling a flexible visual system inspired by the creative process, the identity makes use of engaging visual narratives constructed from collaged and curated imagery to convey the benefits of collaborative workspaces.

These visual narratives are supported by Gascogne Serial and Lab Grotesque as Regrets Only’s choice of typefaces, providing a balance between composure and eclecticism. With Lab Grotesque serving a more functional role in the identity, Regrets Only’s Caleb Halter tells us that Gascogne Serial has a more narrative function of reflecting the theme of creativity. “It does a beautiful job of feeling friendly but slightly academic,” Halter explains, “almost like the Moss identity serves as an encyclopedia of creativity or a study of the process.”

Together the typefaces and imagery command a sincere and impactful tone that pulls on a graphic language we are sentimental for without becoming pseudo-retro in the process. Instead, their combination and application results in a clear and original aesthetic that seems both familiar and fresh.

With this in mind, Halter recalls the aesthetic considerations of the logo, in the context of existing within a digital world but reflecting a physical one. “We wanted an icon that feels familiar, and isn’t tied to a specific aesthetic or era,” Halter recalls, “but also speaks to the idea of growth,” culminating in an analogue-inspired budding plant as Moss’ emblem. “Ironically, we went through hundreds of iterations in an effort to get it feeling as effortless as possible,” Halter adds, “while also feeling considered and well-balanced.”

This sense of balance is no more greatly expressed than in Regrets Only’s monochromatic colour palette, a choice made in an effort to not conflict with the colour and vibrancy of the images used throughout the brand. “We wanted something that preserved a certain visual hierarchy regardless of the density of the composition or saturation of the images,” Halter adds, “while also helping little details such as the UI elements pop a little more than they would otherwise.”

“There’s also something quite calming about the white space,” Halter concludes, simultaneously referencing the infinite blank canvas Moss provides, as well as the endless potential in collaborative creativity.

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Regrets Only

Moss