versous international business forum: art direction with a human focus

On March 21st, our creative director gave a presentation at the VerSous International Business Forum in Moscow.

In 2024, the event was attended by 115 companies from 21 regions, 4,489 entrepreneurs, and 125 speakers. The ICU team was represented by Alexey Molchanov in the Marketing section with the topic “Art direction with a human focus: from brief to brand guideline”.

Alexey explained how the client's personality and audience profile determine the visual style of brands. These elements are reflected in archetypes, allowing for the creation of visual identities that resonate with the core values and motivations of the target audience. Alexey highlighted the brand as a trusted personality and delved into its components: what the brand does, where it was born, how it looks, what it thinks about, and how it speaks.

Special attention was given to the role of cognitive biases in consumer perception and how they shape archetypes: by simplifying complex ideas, they create stereotypical images. This enables brands to create those very archetypes that evoke emotional responses and form strong associations.

How to choose the right archetype for your brand and communicate through it in the audience's language, considering their profile, were key aspects of the presentation. For example, Alexey examined why the Nike brand has chosen the hero archetype for several decades. Motivation for change, overcoming difficulties, and the desire to protect and inspire have created a successful hero brand image in the minds of consumers, ready to conquer new unattainable heights together with it.

Our creative director of the branding agency also delved into the topic of the brand pyramid, which includes the foundations for trust, benefits, values, mission, and brand message. Knowledge of this tool helps structure the brand image and systematize the key elements that shape its perception.

At the end of his lecture, Alexey shared case studies that the ICU agency team worked on and explained how they reflect the connection between the client's archetype and the audience in the final visual identity.

You can find more details about the presentation materials at the link.