The role of Branding is to ensure we are telling a strong and unified story
We are all designers storytellers. Let us help you tell your next story.
We tell compelling stories through design.
The Branded Environments group guides the firm’s project teams nationally in building powerful and purposeful brand identities for clients using storytelling techniques to establish a consistent narrative that is carried throughout the built environment.
BKV Group is one of the few national design firms offering an in-house Branded Environments unit who, in addition, assist our design teams in navigating through the initial research, strategy and discovery phases, shaping brands early in the project life cycle that will inform how spaces are designed, marketed and experienced.
NATIONAL BRANDING LEADERSHIP TEAM
MEGAN VAN BECK
Director of Branded Environments, Associate Partner Minneapolis, MN
Collaborating regionally, BKV Group operates as a cohesive firm delivering a wide range of project types for a diverse set of national and local clients. We leverage industry-leading communication and technology tools with best-in-class design processes to seamlessly work across practice sites to meet our clients’ needs, and continually expand our presence into existing and new markets.
INTERNATIONAL CAPABILITIES
The National practice sites at BKV Group are supported by BKV’s Vietnam offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, which contribute design services for many of our U.S. projects, while allowing BKV access to the Asian markets. Furthermore, our firm is able to provide crosspractice training opportunities and structure project teams to leverage the 12-hour time difference, creating a nearly 24-hour design studio that can meet accelerated deadlines without sacrificing quality and creativity.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
BRAND EXPLORATION & STRATEGY
Discovery Workshops
Community Engagement
Site Overview
Competitive Analysis
Target Audience
Brand Foundation (Positioning, Personality, Promise, Pillars)
Brand Concepts
BRAND IDENTITY
Naming
Visual Identity/Logo
Brand Guidelines
Brand Design Guide (Programming Standards)
BRAND APPLICATION
Digital & Print Collateral
Marketing Floor Plans
Promotional Merchandise
Environmental Design/Graphics Experiential Design
Wayfinding Signage
Social Media Templates
Website Design
OUR PROCESS
Branding is the process of creating a unique identity for a product, service, or organization. It involves defining elements like your brand’s name, logo, messaging, and overall visual style. It also involves the programming of your space, and the experience that is designed for the consumer. Effective branding helps differentiate you from competitors, builds customer loyalty, and communicates your values and mission.
BRAND EXPLORATION
Having a strong, clear, and distinct brand is essential for your project.
We immerse our team in our client’s communities by facilitating guided workshops to help gain a deep understanding of their culture and values, objectives, opportunities, differentiators, challenges/ drivers,comparative landscape, audience, and sustainability, health and well-being goals.
BRAND STRATEGY
An effective brand strategy helps create a strong, cohesive identity that resonates with consumers, fosters loyalty, and drives business growth.
Using the results from project discovery, we create your project messaging, positioning and strategy and produce a synthesis of the findings in a clear, concise document (Project Brand Book). This component creates a clear and strong foundation for your project and can be shared and utilized by all stakeholders.
BRAND IDENTITY BRAND APPLICATION
Branding is the process of establishing a brand — how it looks, what it sounds like, and the defined target audience it hopes to reach.
We provide naming services along with brand development which consists of the logo/wordmark. A Brand Guidelines is also created that describes the conceptual elements of your brand. It includes usage rules and specs for the logo, color palette, typography, a certain photography or illustration style, custom patterns and any other elements that make your brand unique. We also create a Brand Design Guide that serves as a tool to guide all development. This guide defines all program standards specific to your properties and ensures cohesiveness across the many spaces in your property.
Effective brand application helps build recognition, trust, and loyalty among consumers.
Using the elements of the brand, we provide creative solutions for all of your marketing needs from brochures and leasing packages to social media templates and websites.
We can also work with the project team to create custom design solutions that enhance the user experience such as custom wallcoverings and murals as well as wayfinding signage throughout the interior and exterior spaces to boost your brand.
YOUR STORY
The following questions will dive into your company’s history, mission, and values.
1. What is your company’s story – how did it come to be what it is today?
2. What is your company’s mission statement?
3. What are your company’s values?
BRAND EXPLORATION & DISCOVERY
We immerse our team in our client’s communities by facilitating guided workshops to help gain a deep understanding of their culture and values, objectives, opportunities, differentiators, challenges/drivers, comparative landscape, audience, and sustainability, health and well-being goals.
Guided workshop to identify the following:
Project Framing Site Information Demographics & Target Audience Comparative Landscape Branding Exercises Programming
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Community development and engagement go far beyond the designing and constructing of buildings; this process is about bringing people together to work towards a common goal. Ultimately, our projects should embody the values, aspirations, and priorities of the community.
Our Community Engagement process: Research & Identify Stakeholders Explore Stakeholder Interest Outreach & Engagement Strategy Engaging the Community Continuous Communication & Feedback
BRAND MESSAGING, POSITIONING & STRATEGY
Using the results from project discovery, we establish our client’s brand messaging, positioning and strategy and produce a synthesis of the findings in a clear, concise document (Project Brand Book).
This document creates a clear and strong foundation for our client’s project and can be shared and utilized by all stakeholders. This steers creative direction for the project and the brand.
From the brand discovery, we create a list of names in several different directions. We will complete a preliminary trademark check to make sure the names are not being used in the same market. Rough typographical treatments can be provided to show how the top 3 names look isually as a brand. The team will then choose the final name. The client is responsible to ensure the final name chosen is trademarked under their company.
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VISUAL IDENTITY / LOGO
Armed with an understanding of the brand identity, we create the visual identity which consists of the logo/wordmark.
We create a multi-page document that describes the elements of our client’s brand. Our clients can use it to create consistent materials going forward and to also share with anyone using the brand. It includes usage rules and specs for the logo, color palette, typography, a certain photography or illustration style, custom patterns and any other elements that make our client’s brand unique.
ENVIRONMENTAL BRANDING
Our Branding team works with the project team to create custom design solutions that enhance the user experience. Environmental design may include custom 2D graphics such as wallcoverings, murals, decals, and custom illustrations. Environmental design may also include custom 3D installations. We team with vendors that offer specialty sourcing to bring these installations to life. These help to elevate the design story and create memorable moments in the project. Our team helps to coordinate the production and installation of these elements.
SIGNAGE DESIGN
We implement your brand into design solutions in the built environment. This includes the design and documentation for all wayfinding signage throughout the interior and exterior spaces.
IN-HOUSE PURCHASING SERVICES
(under separate agreement if owner chooses to use)
This Agreement is contingent upon the Client entering into a Purchasing Consultant Agreement (an entity separate from but related to BKV Group. BKV Branded Environments will coordinate with the purchasing to meet the budget (tax and freight not included). As a part of the total contract is the Purchasing Services Phase. We will use our company’s maximum purchasing power to procure all signage for you. With your written authorization, we will acquire all signage specified in the scope of work at the wholesale cost. Our purchasing service shall arrange for the scheduling, delivery, and installation of all signage acquired for you.
We create a multi-page document that serves as a tool to guide all development. More than a visual aid, this guide defines all program standards specific to your properties and ensures cohesiveness across the many spaces in your property. Beyond the Brand Book, this document describes one’s journey through each space programmatically. Starting with its unique story, it defines what the property looks like, what services it offers, and how it presents and markets itself. It creates alignment between stakeholders around a shared vision while maintaining a consistent and compelling experience.
HOTELS EXPERIENCE
ChooseYour Experience
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SOCIAL MEDIA TEMPLATES & WEBSITE DESIGN
We offer creative solutions/templates for all of our client’s social media channels.
BKV’s Website Design services include:
Sitemapping and Information Architecture Wireframing and Prototyping
High Fidelity Design (including mobile-friendly layout)
e-Commerce development (if applicable)
We also team with a software development company to provide 3rd party design review, accessibility compliance, and maintenance support services.
DIGITAL & PRINT COLLATERAL
We offer creative solutions for all of our client’s marketing collateral needs such as investor packages, brochures, flyers, leasing packages, menus and presentation templates.
PRIMARY LOGOS
Ivy & The Bear logos are inspired by The Ivy League Cornell University and Touchdown, the unofficial mascot of Cornell University. The first mascot was an American black bear introduced in 1915. The primary are comprised of two parts: the emblem and logotype. They are used for all the main branding elements of the company. This includes business cards, websites, and more.
emblem can be used on its own for other items such merchandise, signage, social media, and more.
Primary Logos come in 4 variations:
Vertical: Black
Vertical: White for dark backgrounds
Horizontal: Black
Horizontal: White for dark backgrounds
2 BR / 1 BATH
MARKETING FLOOR PLANS
Working with the architecture and interior design teams, we create marketing floor plans to use for our client’s sales materials.
PROMOTIONAL MERCHANDISE DESIGN
We provide creative solutions for all of our client’s promotional needs such as t-shirts, hats, notebooks, pens, coffee mugs, water bottles and lots of fun stuff!
PARTNERSHIPS
We’ve teamed with some of our favorite vendors so that we can easily produce more custom finishes and fixtures for our clients at a reduced price.
Astek is our preferred custom print vendor.
Bloom Lighting is our preferred custom lighting vendor.
inspired by The Ivy League Touchdown, the unofficial first mascot was an 1915. The primary the emblem and the main branding includes business cards, for other items such media, and more.
Touchdown, the unofficial first mascot was an 1915. The primary the emblem and the main branding includes business cards, for other items such media, and more.
