Loam

CLIENT OVERVIEW

Aha Labs is a team Stellar core contributors (they maintain the Soroban CLI and JS contract client) with multi-blockchain experience (Ethereum, NEAR, Cosmos, Flow), ready to help you bring your dapp to life with our smart contract tooling, Loam, and ad hoc development services.

Project Objectives

Chad Ostrowski and Willem Wyndham, founders of Aha Labs, sought to rename one of their flagship products and create branding that would effectively launch it into the market.

Creative Strategy

We focused on highlighting the approachable and nurturing qualities of the Loam product while ensuring the brand identity conveyed a sense of calm and warmth. By integrating organic elements and a balance of masculine and feminine tones, we crafted a brand that stands out in the often cold and technical blockchain space.

Process

Collaborating with Chad and Willem was fun. They are open-minded and understand the value of the design process and the role of artmaking. Through our work together, we articulated the core qualities of their product, emphasizing the importance of evoking a sense of calm and comfort in the brand identity.

Loam, named after the ideal soil for plants, makes web3 more accessible for regular web developers—much like an all-text version of Canva. Chad and Willem, the friendly and earnest founders of Aha Labs, are dedicated to helping folks navigatethe murky world of blockchain.

To find the right name, we engaged in several brainstorming sessions involving mind-mapping, games, and idea exchanges. We narrowed it down to three concepts, ultimately choosing the forest-inspired name "Loam." This name evokes warmth and earthiness, a stark contrast to the often cold and dark blockchain world.

Loam’s identity draws inspiration from forest elements. The logo was crafted to spell "Loam" using plant life native to the Northeastern United States, where Aha Labs is based. After exploring various letterforms and imagery, the final logo emerged, symbolizing growth with seeds and a sprout leaf.

The brand colors were intentionally selected from plant life. Given that web development is a male-dominated field, many web3 sites have a distinctly masculine feel. Chad and Willem wanted a mix of masculine and feminine elements in the brand. For instance, we chose a soft lavender, a pastel typically associated with femininity, to create a warm and inviting vibe.

Lastly, Chad and Willem needed a landing page for Loam that would guide users to their platform. The design process for the landing page also allowed us to develop the brand's typefaces. This collaborative process had Chad designing in code while I worked with shapes and colors, resulting in a cohesive and engaging brand experience.

Outcomes

In the end, we successfully captured the essence of the product, balancing warmth and accessibility with a unique visual identity. The new name, logo, color palette, and landing page design were well-received, providing Aha Labs with a strong foundation to introduce Loam to the market. The project not only met Chad and Willem's objectives but also positioned Loam as a standout tool in the competitive blockchain landscape.