Formerly saddled with a website described as staid, outdated and irrelevant to their target audience, NLS now boasts a web presence that speaks directly to the top-level food industry executives comprising its readership, says Rebrand.ca's Pat Carito. "The client loved the approach from the minute he saw it. He has also received great feedback from his existing clients, and new prospects. 

Before (top) and after image of Rebrand's rebrand for NLS

"One of the challenges was to convince the founder of this company that there was a better way. The previous brand identity was his creation,” says Carito. “Another was to integrate the company's formerly uncoordinated service sectors.” Four food summit events, each with a different and unrelated logo, were unified with a new, singular approach.

"This was truly an exercise in making the complex simple. The company reached a point where the services it offered became more sophisticated than the image and message it was projecting," explains Carito.

Contracted in March 2010, Rebrand.ca has already deployed the new NLS website design. Accompanying it are banner ads intended for third party media channels. Rebrand.ca is planning future promotional materials including trade ads, trade show booths, print collateral and handouts.

Colour selection proved to be a critical component of this redesign. Where NLS' previous front end favoured icy-blue hues and a mountainous backdrop with little in common with the food industry, Rebrand.ca flipped the spectrum on its end, switching to warm colours — burgundies and browns, with warm grey as a secondary colour. "Burgundy associates well with food and the colour scheme creates a sense of class, which fits our executive audience," says Carito.

DIN font was selected for headlines, with body text represented in Tahoma. Contact: www.rebrand.ca, www.nextlevelsummits.com