The Portland Business Alliance is Portland’s chamber of commerce. The Alliance came to Magneto seeking a refreshed brand identity including a logo and tagline that would reflect a more updated and current representation of the organization, its membership and the important role it plays within the Portland region business community. After extensive interviews with members of the Alliance including large and small business owners from both sides of the river, we created a fresh brand that reflects the essence of the Alliance and resonates with Portland Metro’s businesses across four counties. In addition to creating the new logo, Magneto created a brand graphic standards guide, designed corporate collateral pieces and other marketing communications pieces to reinforce the brand. Magneto also consulted on how the new logo should be used on their website.
Markowitz Herbold is a well-respected regional business litigation firm located in Portland whose team members are as personable as they are dedicated. Magneto was initially hired to develop an advertising campaign and was so successful they asked us to conduct a rebranding process that included creating a new logo and mark for the firm. In addition to creating the new logo, Magneto created a brand graphic standards guide, designed corporate collateral pieces and other marketing communications pieces to reinforce the brand. Magneto also consulted on how the new logo should be used on their website.
Portland based Chown Hardware selected Magneto to design a unifying logo for the commercial and residential divisions of this 135-year-old high-end hardware company. The family owned and operated business, now in its fifth generation, wanted the mark to reflect its rich history in a dynamic and youthful manner. After meetings with two generations of the owners, the final brand design did exactly that, combining a vintage looking “tradesman’s mark†with contemporary typography to represent the quality and heritage of the brand. In addition to creating the new logo, Magneto created a brand graphic standards guide, designed corporate collateral pieces and other marketing communications pieces to reinforce the brand. The new logo can be seen on signage on Chown’s buildings in Portland and Bellevue, WA, company vehicles, marketing and sales materials, website and more.
Rose City Sound is a 75-year-old Portland sound and lighting company that hired Magneto to update its brand identity and create a new website. The logo and wordmark were created to convey a fresh look with a vintage flair by using a bright orange rose graphic that doubles as an audio speaker and sound waves. Magneto created a brand graphic standards guide, designed corporate collateral pieces and other marketing communications pieces to reinforce the brand. Magneto also designed and developed an a new brochure-style website.
Sub Rosa is a craft distillery that focuses on uniquely infused spirits. The name Sub Rosa means “under the rose,†a Latin phrase meaning secret, or clandestine. The identity that we created was formed around this theme, taking reference from old symbology reminiscent of the Illuminati, Gypsy culture and Ouija boards. The letterforms utilize a very old style, textured as if scrawled in ink on parchment. Many other elements of the brand took their cue from this original logo design including the Magneto-designed Sub Rosa vodka bottles, sales materials and forthcoming Sub Rosa gin.
NW Natural rolled out a program that utilized biogas from cow manure as sustainable energy. Magneto named the program “Smart Energy†and designed the logo to link the environmental focus with natural gas. We also wrote the tagline “Use Less. Offset The Rest.†to explain the program. Over 17,000 customers are now enrolled in Smart Energy offsetting over 212,000 tons of CO2.
Western Rivers Conservancy saves pristine rivers in the West for posterity by buying the lands along them. Several years ago, the young conservancy needed a brand refocus to attract wealthy donors, landowners and legislators who cared about river preservation. Magneto was hired to develop a new logo and series of print ads that continue to run in targeted special interest magazines. The mark, brand feel and ad campaign conveys a sophisticated look that has been used successfully ever since. In addition to creating the new logo, Magneto created a brand graphic standards guide, designed corporate collateral pieces and other marketing communications pieces to reinforce the brand.
The HBA of Metropolitan Portland has a yearly scattered-site home show called The Ultimate Open House. This show features over 80+ homes located in all areas of the Portland market. Our objective in creating the name, logo, marketing materials and Website was to draw in potential homebuyers by making it feel as if this were one giant open house event. We borrowed from classic open house signs and took it over the top, creating an exciting and active look that drew people in and made the show a huge success. Results: 30% of the builders sold a home as a direct result of the show. 79% of builders surveyed said they had double the traffic of a normal open house and of those, 29% said they had a 600% increase in foot traffic.
Bold, aggressive, and ready to rumble, the Mazda Grand Prix logo is practically speeding off the page. This masculine logo was for an open wheeled racing event at Portland International Raceway and was designed to get the energy and spectacle of the race across. The forms of the “d†and “P†are customized to give the feeling of a looping raceway, reaffirming the energy and movement. The tagline “Speed/Thunder/Glory†was also created by Magneto.
Employment agency Boly Welch had an existing logo that was outdated and didn’t reflect the two-sided nature of the company; staffing and placement. We created the new logo to feel simple, businesslike, and above all, representative of their balance in disciplines and their face-to-face approach. Hence, the colon between the two names that strikes an equal balance between them. The understated color scheme and elegant typography accentuate the importance of that balance.
Throwback logo redesign of the famed KISN logo of yesteryear.
Identity for SEO company Amplify Interactive.
Logo for NW Natural-sponsored home at the Better Living Show Event.
Logo design for local radio station 97.1 Charlie FM.