Varyer is an integrated creative studio and brand advisory. Devoted to discovery, we inspire ourselves through the pursuit of inspiring others.
Through the application of creative process cultivated from our founders' 20 plus years in the industry, our team centers work on building brand relationships that marry aspiration with sustainable growth.
As a direct response to changing agency models, we trade outmoded traditions for flexible methodologies.
All-hands-on-deck
Composed of creative directors, art directors, producers, designers, digital marketers, strategists, writers and collaborators, our nimble team defines Varyer's shared vision. Work we create represents a diversity of experience across disciplines and industries, and combined skill-sets provide us with broad expertise. Built on a bedrock of trust, our brand has attracted an intrinsically aligned team as its catalyst. Learn more about the squad here.
Our Values ↓ Our Values ↓ Our Values ↓ Our Values ↓
Driven by ethos, our work is a tangible expression of shared spirit.
✺ Curiosity
Our pursuit of knowledge through exploration is never-ending.
◌ Community
Making connections is ingrained in our practice. We are deeply embedded in a world-class network of creatives and actively cultivate opportunities within it.
✾ Variety
As the origin of our namesake, we seek varied work to expand our boundaries.
❤ Optimism
Our attitude reflects our beliefs. We work towards positive outcomes and embrace humor wholeheartedly.
Working in tandem
At the heart of our work is the idea of co-creation. It is a form of collaborative innovation; we share ideas and improve them together with our clients. In many cases we create a merged team, drawing from each respective area of expertise to work as one unified group to meet objectives. We create transparency through processes specifically designed for each partnership, regardless of size or type.
Creative Services ↓ Creative Services ↓ Creative Services ↓ Creative Services ↓
Shaping what makes your brand relatable and why other people should care is our specialty. We build systems for sharing your unique story across every platform. Our Brand Development work is behind the scenes, creating structures built to scale. Depending on your goals, we offer both full-service consulting or projects with specific areas of focus.
✽ Brand Identity & Design Systems
We craft manifestos that inspire innovative designs to resonate with desired audiences. We use strategy to create brand standards that guide the evolution of your brand, and create tactical brand books and style guides that unite (or re-ignite) your team with passion for the work you’re doing.
↬ Product Innovation & Development
Whether you’re designing a pair of house shorts or a specialized digital publication, every interaction with your product is an opportunity to engage with people in a meaningful way. We guide product development from business strategy and audience validation all the way through to production and market testing. We focus on creating products to serve unique needs, and making things that have never been seen before.
✤ Storytelling & Content Strategy
We combine research with creative exploration to identify what makes your brand distinct; what is your differentiating claim? Once uncovered, we amplify it from the inside-out to broadcast your truth with the appropriate tone for every platform. We are strategists, copywriters, and editors ready to refine your narrative through honest positioning and messaging.
❉ Marketing & Retail
Gone are the days of deceptive, Madmen-style ad campaigns created in corporate boardrooms. Truth and transparency are north stars for our approach to marketing. Brand values and storytelling come together with data to drive desired outcomes. We design and produce e-commerce websites and brick-and-mortar stores alike (and even the objects sold in them) with careful attention to merchandising principles. Our oversight is holistic; we cover creative direction for product presentation, performance optimization, and campaign initiatives in both digital and experiential landscapes to create well-rounded user journeys that reinforce brand loyalty.
To get a better sense of Brand Development in action at Varyer, here are a few of our project case studies—
Old Style
Lovingly and widely accepted as Chicago's mascot in a bottle, pure Midwestern roots inspired Old Style's updated brand identity and design system. Work culminated in a tactical brand book covering brand ethos, audience, and style guidelines. Two video marketing campaigns were created using storytelling to embody the brand's archetype, the Enlightened Jester. View the complete work here and here.
WQXR - The Rest
The full-service project for WQXR, New York's classical music radio station, began with product innovation. The Rest was conceived as a daily-entry digital magazine as the platform for presenting diverse perspectives in classical. Its brand identity focused on access both visually and conceptually, opening up dialogue with readers and breaking apart content into digestible pieces. Scope for The Rest also included digital services in website UI/UX design. View the project summary here.
Plume
Our ongoing relationship with Plume exemplifies the flexibility inherent in our process. What began as a single project for the company’s b2b website quickly grew into two additional website builds: HomePass for consumers and WorkPass for small business. Each site required individual strategic work including voice and tone, style guidelines, and expanded visual identities under one unified Plume brand umbrella. View our work here and here.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks seek to reimagine the future of hockey. Our strategic partnership encompasses all of our Brand Development capabilities. From game-season visual guidelines and marketing implementation roadmaps to events and brand identity work, we pivot our focus to best support the seminal growth for the brand, year over year. View our selected work here, here, and here.
We're great in real time 🤙 We're great in real time 🤙