Genie Visual
Brand Language
Genie manufactures lifts and platforms used in construction, maintenance, warehouse stocking, and equipment installation. They produce machines that set the industry standard for quality, reliability, and safety; those values are the cornerstones of Genie’s brand legacy.
To elevate and bring consistency to the brand, Tactile updated the visual language on all their lifts, considering everything from housing form factor and graphics to overall color of the machine. The Genie Visual Brand Language is a 2017 IDEA Award Finalist (Design Strategy).
Color Story
We wanted to tell the story of reliability and safety that is integral to the DNA of Genie’s product family. Trust is critical for professionals who spend their workday in a lift high above the ground; that trust is the legacy of the brand.
Our goal was to modernize the look and feel of Genie products with timeless designs. The new machines needed to look even more capable and trustworthy than the last Genie product they used.
For the first time, black—not
blue—is now the standard color
of each machine’s base.
The new visual brand language represented a major aesthetic shift. For the first time, black—not blue—is now the standard color of each machine’s base. Blue is Genie’s signature brand color, and to strategically protect their legacy, it meant removing the blue color from the area that receives the most wear, the base. By incorporating blue in more strategic, intentional areas, it would become more prominent.
Black—as opposed to another color, like grey or white—was important for the base, because it shows dirt less and can be easily touched up or repainted. It also gives the appearance of a sturdy, solid foundation. It was important to connect the appearance of the machines to the overall product story for the company. We kept blue on the logo and the arm to reinforce the brand and symbolize the Genie mantra: Blue is the color that lifts.
"Blue is the color that lifts."
Field Research
We traveled the country with Genie salespeople and met with customers in the field, on job sites, and at equipment rental yards. We returned to Seattle with a story and a concept.
The customers value safety and efficiency over early adoption of the newest products, so our design had to reflect those essential values.
A Universal Approach
The biggest challenge was to create designs universal enough to accommodate all the internal components, regardless of the variations in engine type and configurations.
We needed to develop a visual identity that could be applied to multiple variations of products and still be recognizable from 20 feet away. And it has to look fresh and new for longer.
Design for a Legacy
A unified, modern visual brand identity that is reflective of the product value is what resonates with rental yards, Genie’s main customers. Rental yards will often purchase and rebrand equipment, so we incorporated a recessed logo on the outer gray shell of each product to instill the brand and emphasize quality.
Tactile continues to work with Genie to develop safe and intuitive user interactions for the next generation of aerial lifts and platforms. We’re very excited about our future as a Genie partner.
