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Writer's pictureMelissa Heckel

Branding and Design for a Deeper Purpose

As soon as I was introduced to Ilana, I was hooked by their mission. Ilana is a company built to serve high-net-worth individuals who are looking to exponentially expand their wealth for the good of the Earth. One of the qualifiers to become an Ilana partner is a desire to use wealth for purposes of sustainability and protecting Earth's natural resources. You see, there are people who are very wealthy but don't feel passion or purpose. Ilana is the perfect company to help achieve that.


Brand Essence

During our brand strategy session, we defined Ilana's brand story, values, voice, mission, market fit, and much more. Brand keywords are a great way to capture the "essence" of a brand. For Ilana, these keywords include:

  • Grounded

  • Impact-driven

  • Strategic

  • Purposeful

  • Sustainable

  • Innovative

  • Stable

  • Educated



Project Details

We provided Gather in Growth with a full suite of branding and design:


Ilana primary logo overlaid on a green leaf

Behind the Design

In approaching the visual identity for Ilana, I aimed for a look that is clean, ultra-refined, and inspired by mid-century modern design.


The tree icon is packed with symbolism through the use of a rectangle frame and diamond shapes. Rectangles (and squares) convey familiarity, comfort, security, and peace, often serving as the stable base or frame in designs due to their mathematical balance and order. Diamonds evoke passion and commitment. This shape is often associated with a precious natural resource, making them ideal for projects with a luxurious feel.


My goal was to create a tree symbol unlike the typical, cliché tree logo. This unique design features eight leaves when counting up one side, symbolizing the eight future Ilana partners. It also features a geometric underground root structure to convey the entirety of the living tree.


The font for the name “Ilana” has been customized, with the L and A linking to symbolize the connection and partnership between Ilana, Benaiah, and its partners.


A variety of logo lock-ups and a custom brand mark were created to give the brand depth and provide layout and size options to fit the many different environments in which the Ilana brand will be viewed, including web, print, and other media.


Below is the curated imagery, or mood board, that inspired the design direction.

 Ilana mood board

We also developed a few secondary logos and icons for Ilana to provide variety and ensure ease of use across different applications and environments.


Ilana secondary logo
Ilana logo marks and icons


Brand Patterns

Customized patterns were created for the Ilana brand, incorporating line work to compliment the diamond shapes in their logo and icons.


Ilana brand patterns


Brand Colors

The color palette for Ilana is elegant, refined, and utilizes shades of green to tie in the element of sustainability and nature. The blue shades are a nod to Ilana's parent company, Benaiah Co. The black color was later added in to incorporate the aspect of technology.


During the brand strategy phase, I always research the psychology behind colors to ensure that the emotional impact aligns with how we want to connect with the business's target audience. I study individual colors and their interactions to determine a palette with depth, meaning, and the ability to evoke feelings that perfectly align with the brand.

Ilana brand color palette


Branding Beyond the Logo

Once the logos and all visual elements were established, we created a variety of collateral pieces to ensure a consistent experience anytime someone sees or interacts with the Gather in Growth brand.


Ilana branded thank you note with green envelope

Ilana branded stationery

Ilana branded embroidery on a green polo shirt

Ilana branded business cards

Ilana branded coffee mug


 


To learn more about Ilana, visit www.ilanawealth.com.


If you are ready to build a brand with purpose, let's chat! Request a free call to learn how we can help you elevate your brand and your confidence as a business owner.



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