Lila

Identity and Logo Design

Lila Case Study: A partnership written in the stars

Building brand potential through collaboration, discovery, design and cosmic fate

Lila is a unique brand in the dating app marketplace. Rather than just matching through a couple photos and a few personal facts, a la Tinder or Match, Lila provides real relationship insights that help match people based on true compatibility, aligning conscious connections with personal growth in the tradition of Hindu Shakta. They knew they needed this bold platform to stand out, so they turned to us. We worked with them to establish goals, develop a powerful brand strategy, create customer avatars and more. Much like their company’s purpose, Lila found its perfect match in us, and they became ready to take their message to the world.

Client

Lila Labs, Inc.

Deliverables:

Brand strategy
Goal prioritization
Identity design
Brand guide
Brand standards manual
Investor slide deck

Turning a logo into a labor of love

Lila came to us with a logo intact, but it wasn’t working hard enough for what the company sought to be. In truth, it was just too cutesy for a company with such a sophisticated philosophy. With no rules or parameters, we set out to create a logo that was modern, memorable and reflected the brand identity. So we took a capital L, created a tangible, three dimensional feel and laid it on its side. And just like that, we had a refined logo that bore a strong resemblance to a heart. To take it further, we added an interior isometric grid based on 60˚ equilateral triangles to represent the connections Lila makes — and because 60˚ has an important connotation in regards to the alignment of planets in the field of Synastry (the astrology of relationships).

Connecting with its identity before connecting customers

Lila started with an intriguing philosophy toward personal connections, but its outward facing brand didn’t reflect its purpose or insight. The overall brand feel was skewing younger and less sophisticated than what the company was offering. So we sat down with them, talked through what Lila was and what they wanted it to be in order to help them establish what their brand attributes were. With attributes such as “seeking,” “insightful” and “cosmic” identified, we were then crafted a positioning statement from which all future messaging would stem.

Positioning statement:

Lila provides real-relationship insight to motivated customers in an eye-opening environment with a trusted voice, helping them feel heart-connected and be in meaningful relationships.

What a company wants to do is as important as what it does

One of the first things we did with Lila is help them establish their business goals. The most important of which is determining how potential customers will learn about their existence and what separates them from other dating apps. These ran the gamut from social ads to a strong website to celebrity endorsements. We rated nine awareness channels based on what the company saw as most desirable, then again as to what was most attainable, then filtered those into three categories: short-term goals, medium-term goals and long-term goals. Through our process, we identified four short-term channels that became the highest priorities: a crowdfunding campaign, birth chart readings by a celebrity, a podcast and a dynamic website with strong SEO content.

Bringing meaning to typeface and color

For the typeface, we chose the sans-serif Montserrat Light, with a subtle tweak: The lower part of all capital Ls have been extended to create a more square shape the more closely matches the logo. Its clean look adds importance to the overall look of the , brand, and it works well when used online.

For colors, we went in a direction that evokes the mystical while staying grounded in reality — just like Lila. Pantones 346 (greenish), 659 (bluish), 526 (purplish) and 430 (grayish) combine to add sophistication to the brand’s overall look. And when applied as they are to the logo, you get a feeling of movement.

Knowing customer connections means knowing your customers

Lila’s reach extends to four distinct customer demographics, so it was important to fully understand who these people are. To achieve this, we create customer avatars for each segment, spelling out what their demographic is, what their goals are, what their story is and what they need from Lila. This tighter focus on individual customer demographics will enable Lila to tailor their services perfectly for each customer the earn.

“The entire experience with Angela was outstanding. The professionalism, the follow-through, and the quality of the work set a high bar.”

Linnea Miron – Lila Labs Inc.

Finding the perfect partner

In Coalition Web Design, Lila didn’t just find a branding firm — they found a true collaborator. By working together, we were able to help Lila identify exactly who they were, who they wanted to be, and how they could stand out. From that upfront discovery work, we were able to construct a brand identity and design sensibility that will help them find their ideal audience and serve their customers in the most impactful way possible. We are dedicated to the craft of brand building, and we’re proud of the way our relationship with Lila has blossomed.