Toluna

In the dynamic realm of consumer insights and market research, Toluna stood out with its cutting-edge solutions and flagship product, Toluna Start—a comprehensive consumer intelligence platform empowering clients to conduct quantitative and qualitative research. Operating globally, Toluna served diverse sectors, including automotive, cosmetics, energy, finance, and healthcare, supported by a team of over 2,500 employees and a consumer panel of over 79 million members across 70 countries.

The challenge

Despite its impressive reach and robust offerings, Toluna grappled with the absence of a unified brand identity. As the company expanded, design processes became fragmented, with projects often outsourced to local agencies without a centralized reference point. This decentralization impeded cooperation between regional and international teams, resulting in inconsistent campaigns and inefficient cost management. The existing brand messaging was outdated and lacked the documentation to support a cohesive global identity.

Leading the design transformation

Recognizing these challenges, I was appointed as Toluna's Global Creative Director to lead the company's first major rebrand in two decades. My mission was to guide the rebranding process from conception to launch, overseeing its global rollout across 16 offices in Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America. This role required addressing the fragmentation in design processes while steering the strategic vision for a cohesive and modern brand identity.

Strategizing for success

Understanding the competitive landscape was crucial, so we conducted an in-depth analysis of competitors, four of which had recently undergone full rebrands. This benchmarking exercise provided valuable insights into their strengths and weaknesses, informing our strategy and highlighting opportunities for differentiation. These insights allowed us to position Toluna uniquely in the market, ensuring our rebrand would resonate globally.

Crafting a unified vision

With a clear strategy in place, we redefined Toluna's brand messaging. We developed a compelling manifesto to steer the creative direction of the rebrand, making the pivotal decision to retain the core icon that had anchored the brand since its inception. This choice allowed us to evolve the type structure and color palette, breathing new life into the brand while maintaining a sense of continuity and familiarity.

Developing the visual identity system

We defined fundamental graphic elements and colors, establishing a foundation for dynamic patterns and shapes that modernized Toluna's appearance. Incorporating 3D product renders and curated people-focused imagery added a human element, making the brand more relatable to our diverse audience.

Comprehensive brand guidelines were created, covering typography, color usage, photography style, and tone of voice, providing clear directives for internal teams and external partners. Additionally, we developed a suite of marketing collateral, including brochures, presentation templates, and digital assets, to support the new brand identity across various channels.

‘Tomas led our global rebrand with outstanding design and aesthetic direction, resulting in a phenomenal logo and visual library. Creatives highly respect him for his excellent taste, clear direction, and exceptional organization. Tomas quickly established processes that enabled our diverse team to excel and delivered the rebrand and product launch on time and within budget by leveraging his global network.’

‘His ability to provide innovative ideas and strong leadership, combined with his hands-on approach, made the project a resounding success.’

Michele Morelli

Executive Vice President of Marketing at Toluna

Testing, refinement, and global rollout

After launching pilot campaigns in select markets and refining our strategies based on stakeholder feedback, we meticulously coordinated an extensive international rollout across 16 countries and seven languages. We conducted training sessions for internal teams and provided comprehensive toolkits to external partners to ensure a seamless transition and global brand consistency.

Achieving transformation and conclusion

The rebranding initiative culminated in a confident and unique visual system that positioned Toluna as an innovative and forward-thinking leader in the competitive market. The new brand effectively communicated Toluna's vision to a global audience, enhancing its market presence and appeal. Behind these customer-facing successes were streamlined processes and significant production efficiencies. This efficiency boost improved team morale and fostered better collaboration across global offices, reducing costs through efficient resource management.

This project was a collaborative effort, and I’m grateful for the talented team who brought it to life. Special thanks to Tim Roberson and Louis Hamber for their creative design vision and to Dan Wilkin and Lauren Williams for their expertise in motion development. Together, we created something impactful.