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Dessa Post-acquisition Brand Positioning

Want to see the results before reading?

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After being acquired by Square, Dessa wanted to shift their image from a corporate AI consultant to a creative machine learning lab - pushing the limits to show the world what this up-and-coming new technology could do.

 

I was tasked with rebranding the companies' look, feel and overall perception. The challenge - I was the only designer on the team.

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How might we transform Dessa into a dynamic brand that inspires curiosity and innovation while effectively educating the public about AI's capabilities and ethical considerations?

Who are we designing for?

  • The general public - especially those who might be wary of AI

  • Prospective hires
  • News outlets and PR firms that want to know about our projects
  • Machine learning engineers who are looking for some new inspriation

The Team

Me! (Graphic Designer)

COO

Communications Manager

Marketing Manager
 

CEO

CTO

The Process

The “Who are we?” Stage

From the get-go, Dessa's executives were clear about one thing: they didn't want to be seen as corporate, rigid, or overly formal. However, their new identity was still a bit hazy. In the initial weeks, I collaborated closely with the COO to brainstorm words and phrases that would capture Dessa's brand essence. During our downtime, we drew inspiration from books, movies, and various media. Ultimately, we landed on a guiding phrase that paid homage to Roald Dahl's masterful world-building: we decided to position ourselves as the Willy Wonka of machine learning.

The Logo

Once we established our identity, it was time to create a logo. To ensure it was unique and reflected the beauty of imperfection, I chose to hand-draw logo drafts. The final design features friendly, rounded letters paired with arrows, symbolizing Dessa's adaptability and capacity to move in any direction.

A series of draft logos for Dessa, along with the final version.

The Brand Elements: Colours

Next, I focused on developing the remaining brand assets, starting with the colour palette. Using Coolors.co as a foundation, I curated swatches that emphasized high contrast while also conveying a sense of creativity and experimentation.

A sample of colour swatches from the Dessa Brand book.

The Brand Elements: Font

For the font, I aimed for a style that would complement the roundness of our logo while ensuring readability. I ultimately chose Quicksand for headers and subheads, paired with Avenir for body text.

A sample of fonts from the Dessa Brand book.

The Brand Elements: Illustrations

When we think about AI and machine learning, we often encounter the final product without recognizing the effort that went into its creation. To highlight this, I developed the "Impossible Machines"—a series of intricate, large-scale machines designed to perform tasks that, at first glance, seem straightforward.

The Brand Elements: Wisps

To add accents of colour, I designed "wisps" to blend the roundness of the Dessa logo with the directional theme of the "D" icon. Their clean lines and consistent form make them versatile for use as icons, section markers, background patterns, and more.

The results

Reflections

What I learned from this project

  • This project was my first significant exposure to UX design. I took a course to learn the core principles and applied them to our newly branded website.

  • Voting systems can be a great tool for engaging teammates and allowing them to contribute meaningfully to large initiatives.

  • The importance of having a clear and compelling 'why' before jumping into execution.

What I would do differently

  • Collaborated more closely with other creative teams across the company to gain new perspectives and avoid working in a silo.

  • Conducted more thorough accessibility testing, specifically focusing on the colour palette, to ensure a more inclusive and user-friendly design.

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