Daily Updates: Jan 15
Design Spotlight is a curated database of design cases, showcasing daily updates from various design studios and agencies. Here are the updates from Jan 15.
Elm by Red Antler
Brand Strategy, Identity, And Packaging For Elm Biosciences
Red Antler partnered with Elm Biosciences to build a next-generation skincare brand that treats both external signs of aging and the internal triggers behind them. Developed with insights from more than 350 dermatologists and scientists—and launched with Martha Stewart and Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali—Elm’s system pairs a clinically advanced serum with a proprietary capsule to address oxidative stress, inflammation, and hormonal imbalance, strengthening skin from within. Red Antler delivered brand strategy, messaging, identity, and packaging that feel as rigorous as the science, avoiding clinical clichés. A precise elm leaf symbol, drawn from the symmetry of the Chinese elm, anchors the identity. Frosted glass vessels protect and spotlight the luminous gold serum, while clean typography replaces expected laboratory tropes with a language of clarity and intention, elevating Elm as clinically advanced, beautifully considered skincare.
White Ribbon by Blok
Identity Redesign For White Ribbon
Blok Design partnered with White Ribbon, the world’s largest movement of men and allies working to end gender-based violence, to reimagine their visual identity. The new design expresses the organization’s passion and energy while balancing humanity and connectivity, maintaining recognition and brand equity.
Brand Identity And Nomenclature Strategy For A 370-acre Urban Redevelopment In Toronto
Pentagram created the brand identity for YZD, Northcrest Developments’ 370-acre transformation of the former Downsview Airport in Toronto. Guided by the positioning “Humanizing a Place of Monumental Ambitions,” the team established a branded-house architecture that unifies seven future districts under the YZD masterbrand while allowing local character, starting with the Hangar District. Drawing from aviation systems, the logotype derives from runway geometry, with a 54-degree angle informing layout, motion, iconography, and environmental graphics. Cera Stencil reinforces the airport reference across scales, from highway-visible graphics to tenant applications and digital platforms. Photography emphasizes authentic community life and a micro-to-macro view of the site. Pentagram also built a scalable mapping framework and component-based vector library to standardize depictions of infrastructure, buildings, transit, and green space. The system equips Northcrest to communicate clearly across stakeholders over a multi-decade, $30B development for 60,000 residents.
Brand Identity For Core42 Ai Infrastructure Company
DixonBaxi created a unified brand identity for Core42, an AI infrastructure company building the foundations that power global innovation. The new system, centered on the 'Acceleration Grid', conveys momentum, trust, and clarity across every touchpoint, helping Core42 lead confidently in the evolving AI landscape.
Brand Identity For Grand Palais Cultural Institution
Base Design developed a new brand identity and strategic vision for the Grand Palais, reestablishing it as Paris’s grand stage for culture. The project clarified the institution’s purpose and modernized its visual and verbal expression to reflect its cultural significance.
Brand Identity For A Korean Fried Chicken Restaurant
Pentagram’s Emily Oberman and team created the brand identity for Coqodaq, a New York restaurant that reimagines Korean fried chicken as fine dining. The design blends the vernacular of Korean and American chicken joints with a luxurious, playful sensibility, extending across the logo, interiors, packaging, and digital touchpoints.