Inside the Moments that Matter: Rebrand, Refresh and Get Creative with Helen Zhai

You know that thing leaders do when they come onboard and they immediately want to change the messaging, branding, positioning, etc.? Hi, I'm Nikki Festa O'Brien, and I am one of those leaders.

Our Creative Director, Helen Zhai, also known as the voice of reason and creativity, skillfully talked me down from the ledge, assuring me that achieving the fresh look and feel we sought is within reach by harnessing the inherent strengths of the brand. And, that we can take this in steps. We could not be happier with the result, and it's such a great way to celebrate the 25 years Greenough Communications has been making a difference with brands in the Technology, Healthcare, and Energy / Climate Tech industries.

The colors are brighter, the feel is lighter, and while we'll continue to tinker with it, the changes represent the spirit thriving within the agency's walls. Helen also recently gave an inspiring guest lecture for our team, igniting sparks of creativity and pushing us to think beyond conventional boundaries. Read on to get to know Helen, further explore the journey of our brand refresh, and glean insights into fostering creativity.

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you choose this career path, and what is some of your favorite work?

Since I was young, I've always loved art and design. If I hadn't studied graphic design in art school, I would have chosen architecture or something related. As I've gained more experience (and gotten older, LOL), I've realized that good design and creative work requires more than just artistic talent; it demands thorough research, strategic planning, skilled execution, and effective implementation. I believe in the importance of a streamlined process. Among my favorite projects are branding initiatives, like the one for Greenough, and recent 360° digital marketing campaigns for leading brands, including UPS Capital, Novo Nordisk, Philips Healthcare, and others.

How do you begin when you start on a rebrand or refresh project? What's your process?

The process starts with in-depth research, emphasizing an understanding of the competitive landscape and target audiences. This phase also allows us to ask ourselves the fundamental philosophical question: Why are we doing this? Following the research phase, the next step involves developing brand strategies, which serve as the guiding principle for all the brand assets that will be developed. Naturally, the most fun part is execution, including brainstorming, designing, and producing. Finally, effective implementation brings the finishing touch to the process. Without it, our audiences won’t see the beautiful brand we are creating.  

In short, I summarize the process into Why (research), What (strategy), How (execution), Where and When (implementation).

How did this approach reflect in the first phase of refreshing the Greenough Communications brand?

I've been familiar with the Greenough brand for a while now and have done my homework–the research part. When I ask the question: why are we refreshing the brand?The answer is clear: Greenough is an agency with amazing talents and a track record of delivering outstanding client work. The brand needs to reflect that. While I have big plans for the Greenough brand, for me, it was all about the "G." it's such a great letter and is filled with potential. The other focus was the color palette. While many like a muddy color wheel, it doesn't play well across digital platforms. It also doesn't offset some of the darker treatments the brand uses on its website. 

However, it's essential to present options. When working with any client, I present at least two approaches – one that reflects what they ask for and one that I think evolves the aesthetic. They almost always pick the latter, just as you did! Especially when I put the design in motion and showcase how it looks across the brand’s social channels, presentations, company signature, etc.

We are big on brainstorms at Greenough, but often, it isn't easy to get them started. The good ideas don’t start to trickle until the last 5-10mins. How would you recommend we improve these?

I'm so glad you asked me this because I have an excellent methodology that I was introduced to early in my career called "Crazy 8s." Traditionally, it's for a logo design where we fold the paper into eight parts and, in 8 minutes, draw eight logo ideas. We all present it to each other, and then the brainstorming begins with dozens of ideas right at the start. This icebreaker can be easily adapted for messaging, campaigns, media pitch angles, content, etc.

We absolutely LOVE “Crazy 8s.” Building on that, how do you best work with teams? I’ve been fortunate to lead creative teams in two previous roles – it’s how I met you! So, I know that integrating early and often yields the best results. But what other tips do you have when working with creative teams?

Getting involved in the project early – even when the campaign idea is in its infancy – helps achieve a better outcome. Being communicative, transparent, collaborative, and open-minded is also essential for fostering successful teamwork.

How do you see the design industry evolving with AI creating duplicates of the Mona Lisa and producing advanced animations? Will it give you more to work with, and/or do you feel the need to diversify your offerings as a result?

To be honest, I have mixed feelings about AI. I asked AI the same questions, and its answer is that it “poses both opportunities and challenges.” For designers, AI can provide more tools and resources to work with. I’ve been using those tools to automate repetitive tasks and accelerate some design processes. As AI technology keeps advancing in the near future, there may be a shift in the tasks and projects that require human intervention and creativity. Designers will need to diversify when that day comes, focusing on aspects of design that require human intuition, empathy, and creative problem-solving abilities that AI cannot replicate. All of this sounds like something we’d read in Sci-fi stories like I, Robot, or the TV show Humans, but it’s the world we live in now.   

Thank you so much, Helen! We love working with you and seeing how you bring our and our client’s stories to life!

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