The Client

Lāer Studio is a boutique story house with a heart for uncovering authentic narratives for those in conscious pursuit of real impact and connection. With a journalistic foundation and a deep love for creative storytelling, Lāer finds inspiration in the unique journey of each client – helping discover their path to clarity and the power in their story, so they can share their message in confidence.

The Brief

Create a refined brand experience that reflects their discovery-driven process and authentic narratives they craft, as well as their commitment to inspire impact and passion for creativity.

Founder and Portland-based wordsmith, Rachel, of the formerly Rachel Leslie Co, came to us in search for a complete rebrand during a pivotal point in her business. As her studio and team were experiencing immense growth, she was ready to move from a self-named copywriting co to an all encompassing story house.

After hearing about the vision for her studio, what lies at the core of her business, and the motifs woven throughout her clients — we were able to abstractly embody the heart of the business by composing a new word entirely: Lāer.

Derived from creatively spelling “real” backwards and meant to be pronounced like ‘layer’ – Lāer merges their goal to work with authentic people while digging deep to understand the layers and depth of each businesses they work with – instantly creating a simple, meaningful, and unique namesake.

When building the brand narrative for Lāer, we focused on how they forge genuine relationships with uplifting people, how they write authentic narratives that stay true to the core of their clients, as well as how they use their work as an avenue for impact and connection.

We wanted to find a way to visually represent these abstract ideas of depth, authenticity, and connectivity. This led us to an iconic type-based mark created by stacking and merging two Ls – conceptually creating a sense of layers and unity.

Lāer believes words hold power, and when cultivated correctly, they can create a lasting impact that changes things for the better. We were inspired by their focus to serve conscious brands and commitment to utilize their passion as a vehicle for positive influence.

To visually embody their heart for impact, we created a distinctive library of fluid, layered textures that ripple and bend. By artistically combining ideas of movement and depth, we crafted a memorable and literal visualization of their brand values.

When it came to the digital home, our goal was to create a space for their clients and readers to connect with the studio, explore their resources, and feel inspired.

Because of the nature of their work, we felt it was important to have a strong focus on typography. With founder Rachel’s background in journalism, we curated a type system and layout with an editorial influence as an ode to her roots and storytelling approach – marrying the aesthetics of classic print outlets with ease of the modern digital interface.

We incorporated page compositions featuring multi-column copy, a navigational menu designed to look like a table of contents, and opportunities for bold headlines – allowing the studio’s words and messages to shine while feeling like you were reading your favorite hardback book or Sunday newspaper.

Our goal was to create a polished brand experience that reflects Lāer’s unique approach to copywriting and business. With thoughtful visuals, aligned storytelling, and a refined website, we were able to create a genuine brand experience that Rachel and her team of experts can confidently grow with.

CREDITS

Brand Photography by Leilani Banayat Photo