Unifying a Multi-Industry Brand System

CONTEXTLocus Fermentation Solutions was composed of six business units developing proprietary bio-based technologies for industries including energy, agriculture, mining, ingredients, animal nutrition, and consumer products. Because of the company’s original business strategy, each unit had been branded separately, with its own visual and verbal identity.

As the company evolved, that fragmented approach became increasingly difficult to manage. The separate brands created confusion internally and externally, weakened the perception of Locus as a unified organization, and made it harder to communicate the company’s full capabilities with clarity and consistency.

GOALDevelop and implement a unified brand system that could bring six business units under one cohesive identity, improve clarity across print and digital communications, and present Locus as a more professional, mature, and trusted organization.

MY ROLEI led the strategic and creative direction of the full rebranding effort and managed a team of three designers through a six-month engagement that expanded into a year-long implementation across websites, environmental graphics, marketing collateral, presentations, and additional brand applications.

My role included guiding the visual direction, reviewing and directing design work, aligning stakeholders, developing core brand elements, and helping translate the new system into practical tools the organization could use consistently.

APPROACHWe began by interviewing colleagues across the company to understand how the Locus brand was perceived internally, then spoke with customers and vendors to understand how the brand was being experienced externally.

Those insights shaped a new identity system designed to unify the company without erasing the distinct needs of each business unit. The process began with redeveloping the Locus Fermentation Solutions logo, followed by a related system of business unit logos that could function as a cohesive family.

From there, we used the strongest element of the Locus logo, the Locus “L,” as the foundation for a broader visual system. Its dramatic curves became a recognizable graphic device that could create distinctive layouts across print, digital, environmental, and presentation applications.

We also developed the verbal identity, including mission, vision, tagline, and values. Typography, color palettes, graphic elements, layout principles, and usage rules were documented in organization-wide brand guidelines.

The system was then implemented across a broad range of materials, including marketing collateral, social media templates, websites, identity assets, catalogs, presentation templates, email templates, and environmental applications.

OUTCOMEThe rebranding effort significantly improved brand consistency and positioned Locus Fermentation Solutions as a more cohesive, professional, and mature organization. The new system made it easier for employees, customers, and partners to understand the relationship between the corporate brand and its business units, while giving the internal team a clearer framework for creating future communications.

The result was a more unified brand presence across industries, channels, and audiences, creating a stronger foundation for Locus’s continued growth and evolution.

The new marketing pieces upped our game and made it easier for my team to connect with customers. Michael and his team really listened to our needs and helped figure out how to best position the Locus brand so my team could close more deals.

Kade Haas

SVP, Locus Agriculture

Design Credits
Tessa Gilliland
Ryan Kish
Ideal Meca
Michael Ebner