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Visual Design ∙ Design System ∙ QA
Challenge
Our team at Playground Inc was approached by Rogers to undertake a comprehensive redesign of their corporate website. At the time, Rogers was amidst significant transitions, including the integration of the Shaw acquisition, which aimed to expand its services to rural and indigenous communities. Concurrently, an internal corporate rebranding initiative was underway. Consequently, the revamped About Rogers website was envisioned as the inaugural manifestation of the new branding within the Rogers portfolio. Additionally, it aimed to serve as a platform to enlighten customers about Rogers' future trajectory and its commitment to serving communities, particularly following the public disclosure of the Shaw agreement.
Approach
Collaboration with Rogers' Design and Marketing Team
From the project's inception, I prioritized close collaboration with Rogers' Design and Marketing Team. This partnership was crucial for understanding the nuances of the new brand guidelines and how they could be seamlessly applied to digital layouts. Through regular feedback sessions, we were able to:
Understand Brand Vision: Gain a deep understanding of Rogers' rebranding objectives and the key elements that needed to be reflected on the website.
Ensure Consistency: Develop a cohesive design language that ensured consistency across all digital touchpoints, maintaining the integrity of the new brand identity.
Iterate and Refine: Rapidly iterate on design concepts, incorporating feedback from both internal teams and external stakeholders to refine the digital application of the brand.
Geolocation and Regional Content
Given the strategic importance of the Shaw acquisition, it was imperative that the website serve as a vital point of contact for communities newly brought under Rogers' coverage. To achieve this, we focused on:
Geolocation Features: Implementing geolocation-based content that dynamically adjusted to highlight regional information relevant to users. This personalized approach ensured that visitors could easily access content pertinent to their specific location, fostering a sense of connection and relevance.
Dedicated Shaw Acquisition Section: Creating a dedicated space on the website for all information related to the Shaw acquisition. This section provided comprehensive details about the acquisition's impact, including benefits for rural and indigenous communities, service expansions, and future plans. By centralizing this information, we made it easier for users to find and understand the implications of the acquisition.
Adapting New Brand Guidelines
Drawing from the new brand guidelines, I designed a grid layout that served as the foundation for the revamped Rogers website. My primary aim was to align the main content components with the layout examples provided in the brand guidelines, ensuring a cohesive and consistent presentation across all pages. Key aspects of this approach included:
Alignment with Brand Guidelines: By closely following the layout examples, I ensured that the main content components adhered to the new brand identity. This alignment helped maintain visual consistency and brand integrity across the website.
Flexible yet Cohesive Grid System: The grid layout was designed to be flexible, allowing the Rogers team to rearrange content blocks within the CMS without disrupting the overall cohesiveness of the page. This flexibility was crucial for enabling the marketing team to create new pages efficiently in the future.
By adapting the new brand guidelines to digital layouts in this manner, we created a robust and flexible design system that not only reflected Rogers' refreshed brand identity but also empowered their team to maintain a consistent and engaging user experience across all digital touchpoints.
Example of layouts presented in the new Rogers Brand Guidelines
Showcasing Regional Content
With the upcoming Shaw acquisition, Rogers was poised to extend its reach to more communities across Canada. Recognizing the importance of connecting with these diverse communities, the Rogers team expressed a desire to showcase location-specific content to users. To address this need, we explored the potential of leveraging the geolocation capabilities of modern browsers.
Geolocation Integration
By integrating geolocation functionality, we aimed to deliver a personalized and relevant user experience. Utilizing geolocation data, the website dynamically adjusted to display news and information tailored to Rogers' initiatives within the user's respective community or province. This personalized approach ensured that visitors received content that was pertinent to their local area, fostering a stronger connection and engagement with the brand.
Dedicated Shaw Acquisition Section
In addition to geolocation-driven content, we created a dedicated section on the website to provide comprehensive information about the Shaw acquisition. This section included:
Acquisition Details: Clear and concise information about the Shaw acquisition, including its strategic importance and benefits for Rogers' expanded service areas.
Impact on Communities: Highlighting how the acquisition would enhance service delivery, particularly in rural and indigenous communities, and outlining the specific improvements users could expect.
Future Plans: Communicating Rogers' vision for the future, including plans for further community engagement and service expansion, reinforcing the company's commitment to its new and existing customers.
Outcomes
Successful Implementation of New Brand Guidelines
The revamped website was the inaugural manifestation of the new branding within the Rogers portfolio. This successful implementation demonstrated the effectiveness of the new brand guidelines and set a benchmark for subsequent projects.
To support the implementation of the new brand guidelines, I developed a design system featuring all the new components. This design system served as a crucial resource, providing a solid foundation for the Rogers design teams as they continued to develop and refine their new digital visual language.
Enhanced User Experience
Leveraging geolocation capabilities, the website delivered location-specific content to users. This personalized approach enhanced user engagement by providing relevant news and information tailored to each visitor's community or province. The inclusion of regional news and initiatives underscored Rogers' commitment to serving local communities, particularly following the Shaw acquisition.
The dynamic content blocks and grid layout ensured an intuitive content hierarchy and visually engaging composition. In addition, this design made it easier for the Rogers marketing team to create and update pages within the CMS, ensuring long-term flexibility and maintainability.
Overall, the project not only achieved its immediate goals but also laid a strong foundation for Rogers' ongoing digital transformation. By successfully implementing the new brand guidelines and enhancing the user experience, we ensured that the redesigned website would serve as a key asset in Rogers' efforts to communicate its evolving vision and commitment to its diverse user base.
