Asymmetric Brand Guide Refresh

Overview

As part of the broader ^[1] brand repositioning and website rebuild, the visual identity received a focused refresh. The goal was to modernize the brand's look and feel without abandoning existing equity — particularly the logo mark — while better supporting the new "strategy-first growth consultancy" positioning.

This refresh was discussed and directionally approved during the ^[2] and assigned to Michał Bielerzewski for design execution.

What Changed

Color Palette

The previous palette centered on a bright blue, which the team felt no longer matched the brand's strategic, confident tone. The refresh introduces:

Role	Color	Notes
Primary accent	Darker red	Replaces the previous bright red; used sparingly at the "top layer" of page hierarchy
New accent 1	Teal	Strongly preferred by Mark Hope; adds a modern, distinctive quality
New accent 2	Amber	Adds warmth; part of the three-color layered system
Neutral	Gray	Slightly adjusted from prior usage

The bright blue is retired entirely.

"I kind of like the darker red and I really like that teal color." — Mark Hope

Logo Treatment

The core logo mark (symbol) remains unchanged. The text treatment was updated:

Lukasz Bugajski proposed a refined type treatment with adjusted weight and spacing
The text color moves to a darker red (consistent with the new palette)
The previous bright red text treatment is retired

Mark Hope approved the new type treatment while explicitly declining changes to the symbol itself.

Three-Layer Design Concept

The brand guide introduces a layered color hierarchy for page and UI design:

Layer 1 (top): Red — used in hero sections, primary navigation, and top-level page elements
Layer 2: Secondary accent (teal or amber) — used in supporting sections
Layer 3: Neutral/gray — used in body content and lower-hierarchy elements

This system is intended to create visual depth and guide the eye through page content, reinforcing the brand's structured, strategic character.

What Stayed the Same

The logo mark/symbol is unchanged
The overall brand name and wordmark structure are preserved
The "Asymmetric" identity concept (asymmetric warfare philosophy, underdog narrative) continues to inform visual tone

Design Direction Notes

The brand voice this palette should support is described as:

Confident without arrogance
Direct — no padding, no filler
Unconventional — should never look or feel typical
Strategic — every visual choice should connect to an outcome or positioning statement

Red is reserved for action items and CTAs, not used as a dominant background color across the site.

Application

The refreshed brand guide feeds directly into:

^[3] — Michał is designing the homepage and a service page template using these specs
Vertical landing pages for ^[4] and Food & Beverage campaigns
Future sales collateral, one-pagers, and ad creative assets

Open Questions / Decisions Pending

Michał has latitude to propose palette tweaks; the approved direction is a starting point, not locked
The "robot fight" illustration asset (commissioned from a Hollywood storyboard artist) is under review — the team may repurpose or replace it depending on how the new design direction develops
A design sync between Michał and Melissa was scheduled for Monday, March 16 to align on execution

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