Vergola

Brand development and strategy for a global leader in automated louver technology.

Client

  • Vergola

Our Role

  • Brand Transition
  • Marketing Strategy
  • Social Media
  • Advertising Creative
  • Media Buying

Vergola, the largest Automated Louver company in Australia, had recently opened its first U.S. office in Los Angeles. To appeal to a new, uniquely affluent American audience, they were looking to evolve Vergola’s brand positioning and ID. Quartermaster conducted extensive market research, which informed a new series of advertising designed to capture the attention of California luxury home owners.

With new positioning in place, Quartermaster took over the company’s media buying and communication efforts, isolating new targets across digital and print, while supporting social media with refreshed creative and messaging.

A magazine opened and folded over to a Vergola advertisement showing the product outdoors on a sunny day, titled ‘Outdoor Living, Redefined’.
The front and back side of a Vergola brochure titled ‘Outdoor Living, Redefined; Automated & Adjustable Roofing System.
Three example social media posts made for Vergola including a testimony from a client, and two others with beautiful images of the product and a headline.
A magazine opened and folded over to a Vergola advertisement showing the product outdoors at dusk overlooking the ocean, titled ‘Outdoor Living, Always in Season’.
Social media infographic post titled ‘Why Vergola’, with graphic yellow icons representing each of 6 reasons to choose this product, and an image of the product installed in a home.

Scientel

360° marketing for this global leader in universal technology integration.

Client

  • Scientel Solutions

Our Role

  • Marketing Strategy
  • Brand Design
  • Content
  • Social Media Management
  • Experiential Design
  • Digital Design

Scientel works with municipalities worldwide managing the integration of wireless networks, Smart City tech and large-scale security apparatus. 

Quartermaster provided 360° marketing support for the company, managing all aspects of outward communication, including social, digital, experiential, PR, brand development for new products, and sales and marketing strategy consultation. We also helped refresh the company’s visual ID and brand guidelines to better position them as a premium offering in their market. Additionally, Quartermaster supported the company in the growth of existing partnerships including Nokia and Motorola.

Various pages from the Scientel sales deck arranged in a grid.
A graphic illustration ofAurora, IL at nighttime with purples and dark blues with various text callouts to things in the cityscape that Scientel’s services maintain and manage, titled ‘Smart City Aurora: A partnership between Aurora, Nokia, and Scientel.
A graphic illustration ofAurora, IL at nighttime with purples and dark blues with various text callouts to things in the cityscape that Scientel’s services maintain and manage, titled ‘Smart City Aurora: A partnership between Aurora, Nokia, and Scientel, shown in real life in a large frame.
A 3-D rendering of the red-carpet entrance for a Scientel event showing simulated people walking inside and taking photos in front of an event-branded banner, and various large-sized light up white orbs lining the way.

SUMO

Brand design and marketing strategy for this global, multi-asset trading firm.

Client

  • Sumo

Our Role

  • Brand design
  • Environmental Design
  • Marketing Strategy
  • Emerging Market
  • Research
  • Social Media Management
  • SEO

Sumo provides a home for professional traders looking for access to clearing, access to capital and administrative and compliance support. They approached Quartermaster to help them create a brand ID that would connect with new and existing clients while also showcasing their “partnership first” approach.

We started by creating a set of brand guidelines that included a new logo, word mark and color palette with use-case examples for each. The visual ID is rooted around the concept of growth, with an illustration style that resembles that of a banknote highlighted through throwback black and white drawings of trees and plants. The new “S” logo in particular was designed to portray a message of interconnectedness between partners and trader peers alike.

Since then, Quartermaster has continued to support Sumo with a full range of marketing services, including Marketing Strategy, Emerging Market Research, Social Media Management, SEO, and Brand Development for other companies they have invested in or are developing.

Several examples of the SUMO stationery set including letterhead, business cards, envelopes, and pencils, sitting on wooden blocks.
Several pages from the SUMO brand guidelines arranged in a grid at a vertical diagonal.
Multiple personal digital devices showing different pages from the SUMO website.

CASTL

Helping brands prepare for modern day battle.

Client

  • CASTL/SUMO Capital

Our Role

  • Marketing Strategy
  • Brand Design

  • Merch Design

  • Website Design



CASTL is a strategic consulting firm that offers collectible and asset ownership solutions for brands, including direct-to-consumer marketplaces, fractional ownership systems and ancillary NFT benefits. Prior to launch, the company approached Quartermaster to help create a brand identity designed to speak to and engage the world’s biggest brands, as well as existing clients including Gibson and Real Madrid.

Our team created a brand that naturally reflects the concept of fractionality while highlighting the company’s diversity of assets and partnerships. The CASTL mark is represented by a rampart, featuring a brick-style pattern that both denotes strength and stability while also forming containers used to highlight partnerships and support imagery. The ID system also includes subtle references to the digital underpinnings of the blockchain, which serves as the foundation of the company’s ownership and ledger.

A grid collage of pages from the CASTL brand guidelines book at a vertical diagonal angle
A book with two pages displaying content from the CASTL brand guidelines book.
Four posters representing the company’s four main sectors, showing on each: a Nike shoe, a gold watch, a monkey wearing yellow headphones, and a reddish orange guitar
A digital display designed with CASTL branding showing various stock exchange updates

Case Study | Cornucopian Capital

The Challenge

Early Concepts:

Cornucopian Capital faced a significant branding challenge within the competitive landscape of investment firms focused on health and sustainability. The company needed a brand identity that separated them from the prevalent use of green color schemes and repetitive seedling imagery amongst their competitors, but also a visual system that encapsulated their deep commitment to advancing human health through revolutionary food science.

Five early ideas for the Cornucopian Capital logomark, shown in white on a black background.

The Solution: The Colors of Humanity

To carve a unique path in a crowded market, we focused on colors and imagery that evoked humanity and the personal impact of Cornucopian Capital’s investments. We selected a color palette that reflects the various facets of human life and health. The palette consists of warm, rich, and vibrant tones, suggesting diversity and vitality. These colors stand in stark contrast to the typical green tones and plant imagery used by competitors, positioning Cornucopian Capital as a firm truly focused on the end user.

Inspiration

A major breakthrough in this project came from the concept of natural parallels — a visual strategy that draws insightful connections between human biology and food structures. 



We developed a series of striking visual parallels that included:

Extreme close-ups of human skin and honeycombs next to each other, on a half pink, half coral background.

Honeycomb and Human Skin

A close-up of a honeycomb was paired with a similar pattern found on the surface of human skin, emphasizing the intricate systems that operate both within us and in the food we consume.

Extreme close-ups of peach fuzz and human skin with goosebumps and tiny hairs sticking out

Peach Fuzz and Human Hair

A detailed image of the fine hairs on a peach mirrored against an image of human skin hairs standing on end, highlighting sensory responses and textural similarities.

Extreme close-up of a blue human eyeball with hazel center and small pupil, and a blue and yellow nebula in space

Eye and Galaxy

A close-up of the human eye was juxtaposed with an image resembling a far-off galaxy, suggesting the vast potential and complexity of human vision and perception, akin to the exploratory nature of Cornucopian Capital’s investments.

An angular tilted layout of pages from the Cornucopian Capital brand guidelines

Outcome & Conclusion

The rebranding initiative was met with enthusiastic approval from Cornucopian Capital and its stakeholders. The innovative use of imagery and color not only distinguished Cornucopian Capital from its peers but also deeply resonated with their target audience, drawing clear lines between their investment focus and the universal principles of biology and interconnectedness.

This strategic overhaul resulted in a measurable increase in brand recognition and engagement from potential partners and investors. The visual strategy enhanced the firm’s narrative, allowing it to communicate its unique philosophy and investment approach clearly and effectively.

In conclusion, Quartermaster’s branding solution for Cornucopian Capital illustrates the power of thoughtful design and strategic positioning in distinguishing a brand in a heavily saturated market. This case study underscores our commitment to delivering impactful and meaningful branding that not only captures the essence of our clients’ missions but also drives their business forward.

Four open book pages showing various designs created with the final Cornucopian Capital branding, in maroon, dark blue and beige
Four phones in a row showing various pages from the new Cornucopian Capital website, demonstrating its successful design across multiple device sizes.
Several oranges filling the frame completely with text overlaid that says ‘Building a human-driven tomorrow.
Two phones next to each other with different pages from the Cornucopian Capital website, and a different page from the website shown at a larger size.
A display of the Cornucopian Capital branded letterhead, on top of a branded folder, with dark purple envelopes.

Case Study | Starlyng

The Challenge

Early Concepts:

The primary challenge was to create a name and brand identity that steered clear of the heavily saturated military-inspired branding common in the drone defense industry. The goal was to establish a distinctive presence that communicated effectiveness and innovation without resorting to the clichéd motifs of shields, and the typical blue and gray color palettes. Furthermore, the business’ name needed to reflect the company’s consumer and commercial enterprise focus vs. many of their competitor’s military applications.

Solution: Look to Nature

Our creative journey began with an in-depth exploration of macro themes, leading us to nature, and more specifically, the Starling—a small bird renowned for its captivating murmuration patterns and its unique diet of insects, specifically, bees. This natural phenomenon of coordination, strategy, and sustenance provided a perfect metaphor for the company’s Drone Defense technology. The bird’s ability to move in harmony and its means of sustenance paralleled the proactive and coordinated defense mechanisms against drone threats.

The naming process inevitably resulted in a slight modification of its inspiration –  “Starlyng.” This name not only pays homage to the eponymous bird, but also encapsulates the essence of the animal’s agility, coordination, and protection, positioning Starlyng naturally as a leader in its field.

Inspiration

In developing Starlyng’s brand identity, we consciously decided to break away from the industry’s norm of military references. Instead, we chose a vibrant high-contrast yellow and black, symbolizing caution and vigilance, essential attributes of the technology. This choice of color also served to differentiate Starlyng in the market, making the brand visually distinct and uniquely memorable.

The use of yellow also implies a sense of innovation, alertness, and safety. The identity extends across all touchpoints, creating a cohesive and impactful presence that stands out in a crowded marketplace.

Yellow and black duotone image of tractor in a field with white wavy horizontal lines behind it.

Outcome & Conclusion

Starlyng’s brand creation has been instrumental in positioning the company as a trailblazer in the drone defense industry. The thoughtful naming and distinctive visual identity have effectively resonated with the target market, setting Starlyng apart from competitors and establishing a strong foundation for recognition and growth.

The Starlyng project exemplifies Quartermaster’s ability to think outside the conventional branding norms of an industry, creating a unique and compelling layered brand system with conceptual depth and intent. Through research, creative inspiration, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of our client’s vision, we crafted a brand that positions Starlyng for lasting success in the global market.

Animated expression of the lines of symmetry used in the final Starlyng logo.
Black, blue and yellow squares with the Starlyng icon on them and horizontal wavy lines.
Grid of pages from the Starlyng brand guidelines at a vertical diagonal angle.
Magazine ad mockup for Starlyng showing a drone flying over a city with graphic wavy horizontal lines and the headline ‘The leader in municipal and commercial sky security solutions’.
Starlyng branded stationery set including folder, letterhead, business cards, envelopes, and greeting cards.
Macbook laptop open to a page on the Starlyng website on a white background.