Work

• Identity
• Visual System and Color Palette
• Web Site
• Reversible Brochure and Poster
• Powerpoint Presentation
• Business Cards, Stationery, Envelopes

CultureRx isn't anyone's typical client. The consulting group came to Larsen with a business strategy so revolutionary, they likened it to the Civil Rights Movement. Their branding goal: appear simultaneously reassuring and shocking, professional and edgy, traditional and avant garde. We developed an identity, Web site, and literature to express these paradoxes and explain exactly why they — and CultureRx — work.

Gritty graphics and discordant hues

At the heart of CultureRx is a concept called ROWE (Results-Only Work Environment) that was originally developed to retain high-quality employees at electronics giant Best Buy. CultureRx cofounders say the workplace of the future will be defined by results — not by space or time. Schedules will be seen as an artifact of less enlightened times; all meetings will be optional, and the ones that do occur will be virtual. As Baby Boomers retire, mobile and wireless Generation X and Y employees will be in high demand. Larsen's designers listened to the CultureRx rationale and came up with a visual system that reflects these trends.

In order to appeal to the next generation of leaders, Larsen developed a stamp-like CultureRx logo with a lozenge shape — as well as a gritty, urban treatment of the key concept ROWE — and paired them with a hip color palette in bright orange and lime green.

"We used discordant, in-your-face hues," says Paul Wharton, a creative vice president for Larsen. "The CultureRx identity looks like something that might appear on a subway wall, much like graffiti, or a manifesto. We wanted to create branding that reflects the new business culture."

CultureRx.com: A perfect use for Flash

Because CultureRx strives to be current and youth accessible, their Web site is critical. Larsen pulled out all the stops for culturerx.com and assembled a completely unique site with Flash elements and "Easter eggs" (hidden surprises that users can "find" by mousing over and clicking). Bold, cheeky, and aggressively confident, the site shows crumpled notepaper, Post-it^® Notes, a PDA, and car keys to demonstrate that the CultureRx movement loosens ties and creates a truly mobile business society.

The site's background changes constantly, going from grass to brick to asphalt — signifying the different environments in which work can occur. But the architecture allows for easy navigation: Larsen's interactive group made sure potential clients of the fledgling consultancy will be able to find a description of services, testimonials, case studies, and contact information within seconds of bringing up the CultureRx home page.

Funky and functional

Despite its MTV-inspired style, CultureRx has a very serious side, advocating a people-centered approach that engenders respect and does away with what they call "sludge" — the backbiting monitoring habits of people for whom face time counts more than actual job performance.

Larsen kept this philosophy in mind when creating letterhead, envelopes, and business cards for CultureRx, making sure every piece was standard for ease of use, but skewed in terms of design. The letterhead is a clean white sheet, but the CultureRx mark and tagline bleed off the top of the page. The envelope bears a return address in the top left corner, but it also has a funky side-flap closure. Business cards are printed so the logo seems to fold over the front to a vividly color-washed backside.

Minding the bottom line

Because CultureRx was operating with limited seed funding, Larsen worked closely with the firm's cofounders, making the most of the marketing budget. We created a new PowerPoint with a fresh look and feel. We developed several attention-getting key messages to help CultureRx tell their story more succinctly — and with more impact —to a wide variety of audiences, from CEOs and boards of directors to middle management and administrative staff. And, we created a dual-purpose brochure/poster that presents business information in a hip, dynamic style.

A growing relationship

CultureRx was just getting off the ground when its principals came to Larsen. But since that time, ROWE and its originators have been featured on "60 Minutes" and at the June 2006 Take Back America convention in Washington, D.C. Larsen is proud of the work we've done for this innovative company and impressed by the ability of our clients to foment enormous change in corporate America. As CultureRx becomes more widely known, we will continue to collaborate, creating the whip-smart design this groundbreaking company deserves.