Springload

Information

Springload is an independently owned digital design and development agency based in Wellington. Founded in the early 2000s, Springload has a long history of making digital experiences beautiful and useful. They’re a team of 80-ish (plus a dog or two) who work with clients like ACC, Callaghan Innovation, DIA, Klim Type Foundry, Massey University, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and NZ On Air.

While at Springload I led a talented team of wireframe wranglers, alliteration artists, and pragmatic problem solvers. Alongside client projects, the team undertook an iterative rebrand. Firstly starting with support from an external agency (Ocean), then designing and building a new site in-house. The remaining work to refine the brand continued in-between deadlines and delivering client projects.

The goal was to set Springload apart from other agencies — for example, by featuring our people (and pets) as a key part of the brand’s personality. This wasn’t common at the time. There was also an opportunity to be more experimental than usual, by bringing visual layers into the site design, reflecting the many layers to our creative work.

Springload are a certified B Corporation (B Corp™) and review clients and suppliers to ensure they exceed an ethical and environmental standard. Making sure the Springload brand reflected these values and purpose was another of the goals of the rebrand.

In support of the rebrand, there was a dedicated marketing effort to create content focused on the organisations we work with to help with sales and pitching for new business. As well as highlighting the team (People of Springload) to help with culture and recruitment.

• Rebrand features:
• — New fonts (Untitled Serif & Untitled Sans)
• — New primary and secondary colour palettes
• — Profile photos for People & Pets of Springload
• — A set of geometric patterns and shapes for illustrations
• — Sales presentations and business cards
• — Project documents and templates
• — Swag, client gifts, and branded collateral
• — Office posters and signage
• — New website

The Experience Team at Springload were a particularly special bunch worth celebrating and including above. I got to work with many of them for several years while they tolerated my alterations, puns, (pragmatic) perfectionism, posters, projects, and patent pending black uniform. A huge thank you, and bravo!

Case Studies

• Klim Type Foundry (Website)
• Delivereasy (Rebrand)
• Te Papa (Interactive)

A selection of other projects completed at Springload can be viewed in the archive.

Credits

• Bron Thomson (Client)
• Dan Newman, Joyce O’Riley, Zak Brown, Joe Garlick, Ben Wright (Design)
• Ella Price, Thomas Sutherland, Aidan Rasmussen, Claire O’Loughlin, Ruth Hendry (Content)
• Matthew Holloway, Samantha Sanders, Peter Dekkers, Mitch Ryan, Sofia Spials, Calin Dale (Development)
• Profile Photos, Ocean Design (Collaborators)

Awards / Recognition

• DINZ Best Awards: Finalist, Large Scale Websites (2018)