When we embarked on this journey six years ago, we were nothing more than a dynamic duo, a partnership of freelancers with diverse backgrounds and experiences coming together to tackle projects in our spare moments. The name "Creative Mules" was our humble banner as we tiptoed into the world of design and technology. However, the winds of change were already stirring within us.
Three years ago, we took the plunge and embraced Creative Mules as a full-time endeavor. Those intervening years saw our tiny team of two expand into a spirited crew of seven, complemented by a network of partners and freelancers spanning the globe. The past year, in particular, has been a whirlwind of transformation. We welcomed three new members into our fold, landed our largest enterprise project to date, celebrated a client's acceptance into the prestigious Y Combinator, and took on projects that once felt like distant dreams.
As a strategic design partner to extraordinary startups, enterprises, and individuals worldwide, our brand identity had remained understated and minimal. Our initial branding was hastily sketched, simply a means to an end. At the time, we were still just a trio, consisting of the two founders and our first hire. We had yet to fully embrace the identity and spirit of a burgeoning team of global talent. We had not yet articulated our core values, the projects we aspired to attract, or the freelancers we longed to collaborate with.
With the birth of our new identity as Creative Mules, we embarked on a quest to uncover our unique personality in a sea of studios and agencies often sporting the same uninspiring, monochromatic, and tech-centric aesthetic.
Rebranding as a design studio may well be one of the most difficult challenges a team can undertake. We are our own harshest critics. However, engaging in this months-long exercise with our entire team has helped us not only define who we are but also who we are not.
Gleb Podorozhnyy, Co-Founder
The Duality Symbol
Our abstract symbol encapsulates the essence of our work – the duality of collaborating with clients, a modern interpretation of yin and yang. This symbol is a reflection of the interplay between the analog and digital worlds, our ability to convey your mission. At Creative Mules, we relish distilling complex concepts into their simplest forms.
We found the shapes created by Betuel Benitez - a talented designer based in Chicago, to be the perfect foundation to build upon. Which you can also purchase as fun trays at Tecomate. The elegant 3D shapes that comprise our identity are simultaneously minimalistic and profound. They are constructed upon the foundations of our previous projects, a testament to our vast and varied experience. We deploy these shapes sparingly, ensuring they enhance rather than overwhelm our brand. After all, this is about us, but not exclusively so.
Typography
Typography, a critical element of our rebranding, mirrors our ethos of elegance, precision, and a subtle touch of technology. While it might be tempting to default to the ubiquitous Helvetica font, we felt it wouldn't do justice to our distinctiveness. Instead, we've chosen an elegant, narrow serif typeface paired with a robust sans-serif font. This combination infuses our brand with a timeless quality while maintaining a modern edge.
Color
Contrast plays an important role in our newly crafted color palette. Our aim was to establish a system that allows our work to shine with a resounding contrast. We chose a delightful off-white tone to infuse warmth into our brand, making it inviting and approachable. We've grown tired of the mundane black and white aesthetic, yearning for a touch of audacity. Hence, our bold Cobalt blue, a splash of color that grants us the freedom to explore creativity while maintaining a sharp, professional look.
Our Name Says it All
“Creative”
At our core, we are a confident, independent team focused on design, with a deep, passionate and professional understanding of the creative industry.
“Mules”
Mules are hardworking and laborious animals that possess rare and unique qualities, capable of reliably getting you to where you need to be every time.
we're not just rebranding; we're setting a new foundation for our small team to grow from. Welcome to the next chapter of our story.
Credit
Many Thanks to all that were involved in this difficult but fun process: Daria Kirsanova, Sasha Chuguevskaia, Kirill Kashkin, Matt Stasiuk, Alex Tkachev, Rafael Fagulha, Franck Kouadio, , Chris Soulaki, Alexander Ivanov, Corbinian Buchberger, Gleb Podorozhnyy
Special thank you to Betuel Benitez for allowing us to use his shapes as a foundation to build upon.
