OpenJelly’s Brand is Born

We set out to craft a clear and cohesive brand package for OpenJelly, including logos, colors, fonts, and usage rules. Our goal was simple: make OpenJelly stand out in the open-source world and offer developers a unique, recognizable product, boosting its appeal and recognition.

Now, with the project complete, we’re excited to share. OpenJelly’s new brand package carries the distinct personality and trust we envisioned.

Here’s a little insight into how this all went down.

Getting Started

To honor the legacy of Taylor Lineman’s original concept, we chose to modify JellyCut’s existing symbol instead of replacing it. This was an easy decision, as using an animal to represent a brand leverages existing emotional connections people have with the creature. And jellyfish rule.

The Mark

We experimented with the jellyfish form, from extreme simplification to physiological realism, to explore the full spectrum of possibilities for our symbol. Simplification allows us to focus on the essential elements, ensuring the design is strong and recognizable even at its most basic. Meanwhile, physiological realism lets us retain unique characteristics, making the logo distinctive and memorable.

This exploration helps us find the right balance, ensuring the logo is versatile and effective across various mediums and sizes. By testing both extremes, we can make a well-informed decision, ensuring our final choice is not just aesthetically pleasing but also functional and aligned with the brand’s identity.

Ultimately, given the need for clear representation at small sizes, we chose a more simplified emblem. This ensures the jellyfish remains recognizable and effective, no matter the scale.

Typography

After some exploration, we ended up using the open-source rounded typeface Nunito for a couple of reasons:

The way its rounded corners mirrors the shapes in the mark help to create a unified visual language that ties all elements together.

Secondly, rounded typefaces often feel more approachable and friendly, which can enhance how people perceive the brand. It’s a subtle way of saying, “We’re accessible and easy to work with,” without shouting it from the rooftops.

Final Logo

(it isn’t not a jelly donut)

Color (or its absence)

We chose a grayscale palette for its simplicity, clarity, and accessibility. It enhances readability, integrates seamlessly with existing brand colors, and maintains a neutral look, and aligns with open-source principles, emphasizing usability and functionality over decoration.

The Badge

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Brand Guide

A brand guide is crucial for maintaining consistency across all contributions, ensuring designers, developers, and users stay aligned. It goes beyond fonts and colors; it preserves the project’s integrity and cohesion. Without it, the project risks fragmentation, losing impact and recognition. A solid brand guide keeps everything unified, building trust and a strong, lasting presence in the open-source community.

OpenJelly was made possible through the help of Gitcoin #GG20 and the Web3 community. To contribute to the project, head over to github.com/OpenJelly. Show your continued support by becoming a subscriber today: Subscribe Now