BLOCS.

Having been through various branding exercises that didn’t quite piece everything together, BLOCS was beyond the point of patched-up fixes – the brand needed a full overhaul. The team welcomed our discovery process, letting us understand who they are, who they’re competing against, who they’re speaking to and their project goals.

The first challenge that emerged was one of communication. The team found they were struggling to connect with the right audience – ethical developers who actively inspire progressive change within the communities that need it.

But that wasn’t the only issue. With no brand guidelines, comms lacked clarity and consistency. They had little to no time to generate assets for socials, articles for the website, and newsletter content. Proposal document versions were difficult to manage and different each time, making version control challenging. And to add to the issues, updating content on the website was a laborious task that no one wanted to take on.

Imagery was tricky, too. With the team working from home on different coasts, they rarely saw each other beyond the screen. They had no people-based photography, and the images of their projects were not consistently shot.

Armed with research and data from workshops, competitor analysis, audience audits and more, we developed a cohesive positioning for BLOCS – designing spaces, enriching lives.

With the positioning formed, along with a mission, vision and brand pillars, we focused on getting the language right. The challenge was to steer clear of sounding overly earnest, a trap that many brands setting out to do good in the world fall into. The solution lay in the tone of voice.

We created a vast toolkit of copy guidelines and approved verbiage to help the team communicate exactly who they are, why they’re different, and why they’re a good fit for the projects they’re bidding on.

The visual identity we created enhances the messaging, giving an immediate feel of friendliness, realness, and a company that cares about the world and its people.

We honed in on the people aspect in a subtle way. The logo itself is inspired by an aerial view of people coming together. It’s a variable logo, so it can change based on who BLOCS is speaking to and how the team wants the brand to come across – whether that’s in dot size, animation speed, or colour. We created an entire typeface based on the logo, and selected the free and accessible Inter to accompany.

Colour plays a huge role in keeping this brand fresh, aligned with sustainability, and feeling natural. With California being BLOCS’ base, we took inspiration from well-used community spaces on a trip to Los Angeles. Because they lacked high quality, consistent imagery – especially people-based photography – we also developed a new visual language inspired by the logo.

The roll-out has been extremely effective. Post rebrand, BLOCS saw a major increase in project revenue – a 50% increase vs the year before relaunch. Active projects saw a 34% increase too, and their average project fee has nearly doubled. Win rate on proposals has also increased.

About working with Need, BLOCS founder Blake said:

“It honestly felt easy from day one. They’re kind, sharp, and incredibly approachable. Nothing ever felt heavy or overcomplicated. If we had questions, they were there. If we were stuck, they jumped in. It felt like adding a smart, creative extension to our team rather than hiring an outside consultant.

“What stood out most was how well they listened. We came in with a vision for BLOCS that was ambitious but scattered. There were ideas, values, half-formed thoughts. They helped us untangle all of it and pull clarity out of the noise and shape it into something cohesive and strong.

“The brand they built doesn’t just look good, it feels aligned with who we are. Our industry tends to follow a familiar model with similar visuals and layouts, similar language, and similar positioning. We knew we wanted something different but didn’t fully know how to get there. Need helped us create a new language and energy for the firm, something more mission-driven and people-centered. It feels distinct. It feels future-focused. And most importantly, it feels like us.”

This project won silver in the branding category at the Scottish Design Awards 2026.

It’s always special to work with people who genuinely care about their impact on the world. We’ve been working long-term with Blake and the team, and can’t wait to share news about an upcoming project.

If, like the team at BLOCS, you’re looking for a design studio that cares as much as you do, get in touch.