In Good company

Branded Illustration System

20+ animated illustrations and a fully modular system of components to be used by MassMutual’s internal design team.

MassMutual’s sub brand, In Good Company wanted to expand their branding into illustration with a dedicated approach.

We created a strong core illustration language and a scalable modular system for their in-house design team to use. The work is being used for small mobile social media posts to full scale billboards and advertisements.

CLIENT
MassMutual

ADDITIONAL ANIMATION
Latham Arnott

Illustration of a person rock climbing on an indoor climbing wall with colorful holds and plants.

In a world full of sterile, cold, financial companies, there’s plenty to be said about some empathy and human emotion.

Illustration of a person meditating in a minimalistic room with plants, a laptop, a low table with fruit and books, and a chair. The decor includes simple furniture and a peaceful atmosphere.
Illustration of an elderly man pruning a bonsai tree
Illustration of a person gardening with small plants, a wheelbarrow, and gardening tools.
Illustration of a bearded man at a cluttered desk with plants, laptop, coffee, documents, and stationery.
Illustration of two people sitting and conversing outdoors near a table with a chessboard pattern, surrounded by trees, plants, and sunshine.
Illustration of a diverse group of people enjoying a meal together at a round table with various dishes, drinks, plants, and hanging greenery.

The Challenge

Use touchable, warm, mature illustrations to connect with users on an emotional level.

Our goal was to celebrate humans’ individual, unique, realistic financial goals and paths. Beyond typical imagery of piggy banks and charts, we wanted to emit empathy for anyone trying to educate themselves on finance.

Illustration of a shelf with plants, books, and decor
Illustration of two people in a modern living room, sitting on a sofa and a chair, surrounded by plants, shelves, and a coffee table with a laptop and books.

We developed these three core pillars as bumpers on the brand as we explored the visual style.

Aligning each of the brand pillars with a few visual motifs, themes, feelings, etc allows us to stay consistent and tell the story that most uniquely describes the client’s.

Limiting the visual input and inspiration in the grand scheme of things allows us to move forward quickly.

We built the illustration style off the branding that In Good Company (IGC) had established over the years. As they’ve evolved and found their footing, it’s become more and more apparent what their illustration would look like. Here are some snippets from the deck.

Collage of illustrations and photos emphasizing approachability, including a colorful magazine cover, a person doing yoga, a man sitting outside, people on a couch, a couple standing together, a cyclist with fruit, and a black and white portrait.

Pillars

System Development

With the potential of multiple people working on the brand at once, creating a system was important to help illustrators (or even myself) keep everything looking and feeling consistent. By focusing on the hierarchy of people, then space, then plant life, we had guidelines that answered a lot of questions when beginning a new visual.

Illustrations of various houseplants, including hanging, potted, and vased plants.
Illustration of a home office setup, featuring a desk with a computer, lamp, papers, and glasses. Various office supplies like scissors, ruler, and pens are scattered around. Books, a coffee mug, camera, and additional lamps appear alongside a chair and small tables.

Process & Sketches

We worked on a few variations, trying palettes that were strictly on brand, forms and shapes that were simpler.

In the end, we decided a more detailed and textured approach borrowed from storybooks would best connect with a sophisticated and younger audience.

Illustration of a person gardening, holding a plant with small leaves. The person has short hair, wears a blue shirt, and is sitting on a stool. A drawn wheelbarrow with plants is in the background. Gardening tools, like a trowel and watering can, are scattered around.

Got a Project?

Man with purple hair and a mustache wearing a black T-shirt with graphics, standing in front of a plain background with illustrated palm trees and rocks.
Abstract design with orange starburst, green scribbles, and white swirl on a white background.

MORE WORK

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MORE WORK ✱

Animated character jumping with a drum and drumsticks, wearing a party hat.
Billboard advertising Chase bank, featuring "NOW OPEN" in large text, with graphics of a cityscape and "More locations opening soon Chase.com/Boston."
Stylized illustration of a blue sports car with exaggerated features and a flame-like tail, on a black background.
Animated geometric character with large eyes and a graduation cap, predominantly white and gray with red accents, set against a plain background.
Animated character standing in front of a vintage keyboard on a city street, with buildings, a storefront, and urban elements in the background.