Mirage clarify Rouvia’s complex offering through the simplification of roads, rails and waterways

The Berlin-based collaboration between strategy, design and communications agency Mirage and sustainable logistics, transport planning and management brand Rouvia has resulted in an industry-defining identity system for the latter; providing the roads, rails and waterways with a principled and pragmatic face. 

Due to the prolific and complicated nature of logistics, whereby multimodal transport options are compared, enabled and optimised, Mirage were challenged with the task of bringing clarity to the complexity of Rouvia’s offering, working comprehensively across its visual identity, strategy and campaigns. This sense of clarity is captured graphically through the notion of connection and the simplification of its transportation modes – fusing the benefits of each. In doing so, the visual language embellishes the scale and standards of Rouvia’s business, manifesting in variable, interchanging, interconnected arrowed routes – a strategic concept no greater embodied than in the bespoke wordmark. 

“The shapes and forms, the rounded as well as sharp edges,” Founder Mike Piepers tells us, “are inspired by the dynamism of the different modes of transport Rouvia is offering through its platform,” he continues, noting the illustration of roads, rails and water junctions through curves and squares. “The accompanying typeface is made by our friends over at Playtype,” Piepers adds, having opted for Zichtbaar as the primary option and Mari as the supporting act, both from the Copenhagen-based type foundry. In isolation and in combination, Zichtbaar and Mari dutifully compliment the determined sense of accuracy behind the project whilst injecting a quiet warmth and personality.

Rouvia’s balance of professionalism, prolificity and personality is directly reflected in the colour choices, with the agency turning to a duo of coral and dark blue as their primary palette. “The coral conveys a feeling of vibrance, as Rouvia is innovating a legacy industry,” Piepers explains, emphasising their forward-thinking approach. “The dark blue emphasises its balance and stability,” he continues, “a strong colour to stabilise the coral,” culminating in a vibrant palette indicative of Rouvia’s innovative character. “To give it all more depth,” Piepers concludes, “we have defined two tones of each respective corporate colour,” including a lighter blue and “bordeaux, burgundy red,” offering flexibility in line with the inevitable scale of the company.

Mirage

Rouvia