Designing at the client’s pace: Heydays’ warm rebrand of Huddly validates patient creative process

Following their bespoke packaging system design with sister studio Goods, Oslo-based agency Heydays have returned to rebrand Norwegian technology company Huddly, repositioning the organisation to embrace the human connection at the heart of digital meetings. “That packaging was developed just right before we worked on the wider identity and positioning work,” Design Director Lars Kjelsnes tells us, having initially with the brand’s first product.

“We knew that something new was coming, but we also knew it takes some time before an identity refresh is ready for publishing,” he continues, “and as we knew we’d (most likely) add warmer colours to the identity,” hence opting for safer material options, such as kraft paper, for the initial packaging. “We try to understand the client’s needs and how fast they need to move,” Kjelsnes adds, “and work with them on different projects in tandem,” such as the brand’s AI-optimised cameras that help users better communicate themselves over video calls.

Heydays’ inviting creative strategy and visual direction came from the studio’s recognition of human connection at the heart of Huddly’s brand, seeking to celebrate the individuality and interaction of video calls whilst exemplifying the technical offering of its products. This endeavour graphically manifests in not only the more prominent use of Huddly’s logomark but an invigorating colour palette that, together with the accessible and uncomplicated application of type and imagery, made for an ultimately welcoming vibe.

In describing the brand’s move from mostly monochrome to characterful colour, Kjelsnes recalls, “the super simple answer is that we saw some competitors starting to look a bit more like Huddly colour-wise,” pursuing more engaging and distinctive hues. “It also felt like a nice move for them with a bit of refresh as they’d been black, white and bright lavender since 2016,” he add, complimenting Heydays’ strategy that more clearly defined the brand’s offering. “A warmer, less strict palette felt more in line with that,” Kjelsnes details, “and in turn, we wanted a more distinct and a bit more personal photography style – which the new colours served well,” emphasising the strict monochrome application of typography in the process.

The typographic expression comes in the form of Luzi Type’s striking, reductive sans serif Messina Sans, a choice Kjelsnes recalls making due to its humble, characterful tone, in opposition to more technical typefaces that might be more expected in Huddly’s brand space. “Messina Sans was chosen because it’s really tight, with some nice details like the lowercase ‘t’ and the numerals for instance,” he adds, “it’s not overly bold or flashy, it does the trick and felt like it wouldn’t date easily,” Kjelsnes concludes, “whilst still being a product of our time.”

Heydays

Huddly