Brand Refresh—Arete Financial and Legal Solutions
by Cameron Rennacker
title
Brand Refresh—Arete Financial and Legal Solutions
agency
Rennacker Studio
Submission by
Cameron Rennacker
Project Lead
Cameron Rennacker / Co-Founder and Head of Creative
Contributors
Josh Rennacker Justine Dingee Mary Reha Edwin “Ted” Ashton Cynthia Storm Jae Leanne Cu Shoaib Ahmad
When Arete Financial and Legal Solutions, formerly MLR Professional Tax Service, first approached Rennacker Studio, their branding was disjointed. The logotype used inconsistent fonts; the "A" was slightly bolder than the rest of the letters, and from one piece of collateral to the next, there was no continuity.
Rennacker Studio took on this project, which included modifying and modernizing Arete's existing logo and developing a set of brand standards for tone of voice, icon systems, and imagery. Then, we were tasked with stress-testing those standards on a series of collateral, including business cards, envelopes, letterhead, trifold pamphlets, document folders, outdoor signage, and digital/social ads.
Finally, Arete's previous website was complicated to use and left users feeling as though they had landed on a website for a "Better Call Saul" type of firm that was "sketchy," "hard to navigate," and "uninformative," according to users. Rennacker Studio redesigned the site to address these issues and rolled out the updated branding to help complete Arete's holistic brand presence.
Cameron Rennacker
I’ve been a designer and photographer for over a decade, with the last eight years spent in Arizona. In the past, I often compared myself to others, feeling like my work wasn’t quite where I wanted it to be. But in the last couple of years, I’ve experienced tremendous growth, thanks to the support of the incredible design community across Arizona. My involvement with Arizona State University and AIGA has given me the chance to connect with inspiring creatives and mentors who have challenged and encouraged me to produce the best design work for my clients. This year, refreshing the brand for Arete Financial and Legal Solutions was a breakthrough project for me—it was a moment where I felt all the pieces coming together and I was able to produce an entire project that both met the clients needs and was something I was happy with in the end. Arizona’s design community has helped me reach new heights, and I’m excited to continue contributing to its future by pushing boundaries and embracing collaboration with other designers across Arizona.