Y Combinator-backed US startup Electric Air is passionate about accelerating the adoption of residential heat pumps by improving their design. Having admired BLOND’s work for other innovative technology startups, Electric Air came to us to develop its brand identity and industrial design for the family of products that make up its electric heat pump system: a Condenser, Air Handler & Humidifier, wall-mounted Air Conditioner and a Thermostat. The aim of the partnership was to support Electric Air in telling its vision and story to help the company gain traction ahead of its next fundraising round.
We identified an opportunity to create a visually progressive yet unified identity for Electric Air’s branding that had the potential to boost appeal to homeowners—more than what the market currently offered. Taking learnings from aspirational brands in other related high-tech industries—for example, EV companies, we located Electric Air within the broader market. Then through case studies, we identified the vital brand elements that help those companies to be distinct and successful and brought these insights into the development of design directions. A range of brand identity options explored both familiar and unexpected visual languages, and then the preferred route was crafted into a holistic brand system through the detailed development of logotypes, monospacing, colours, and iconography. Alongside the Brand Identity, we also designed the Electric Air HVAC System.
Services:
Brand Strategy
Brand Identity
UX & UI
Visualisation
Art Direction
The final design direction for Electric Air’s brand identity is rational, progressive and contemporary. The Electric Air logo and selected Neue Montreal font have a timeless appeal and versatile application, with its rounded lettering complimenting the product’s design language. The kerning of the letters has been optically defined—which provides a visual balance to the logo and ensures legibility at all scales. A colour palette of blacks and greys makes up the primary brand colours, with a secondary Pine green, Sky blue and Apple red supporting to bring a lifestyle sense and softness to the brand.
To bring the brand to life and test its applicability in different scenarios we mocked up various brand assets to illustrate how the logo, typeface and colour system can be implemented across physical and digital brand touchpoints, including the thermostat UI and a user control App. This culminated in designing Electric Air’s website and creating visual assets to launch the brand and support the startup in its fundraising drive.
