Being physically active, having a healthy diet, or getting enough sleep are some of the rules people follow to show how much they respect their bodies. Yet, taking care of your mind is equally important, because the mental state dictates your life, how you interact with others, your professional performances, and, of course, it influences your overall physical health. Oh, if only there would be a gym where one could train their thoughts…
With a mission to make mental fitness as popular as the physical one, Positive Intelligence describes itself as a mental fitness program where people are invited to exercise their thoughts and keep their minds in good shape. Originating from Stanford Lecturer Shirzad Chamine‘s New York Times best-selling book Positive Intelligence, the program is aimed at supporting users to form new, powerful habits that will eventually help them achieve a positive state of mind.
In line with the program’s ambitions is its visual brand system, developed by the San-Francisco-based brand strategy and design studio, Landscape. According to Frank H Vial, Director of Strategy at Landscape, the program’s identity “captures both the approachability and the scientific foundation of this transformative program, and signals a powerful invitation to train your mind for positive change.”
To communicate the initiative’s efforts towards helping people become mentally fit, the agency developed a comprehensive design system that includes a new logo, messaging, illustrations, typography, and digital toolkit. These elements were then used to improve the organization’s methodology across the project’s website, marketing touchpoints, and an updated app experience.
“Mental Fitness is the capacity to handle life’s challenges with a positive mindset (rather than a negative one). Research shows this to be at the root foundation of optimizing performance, wellness, and relationships. Through daily practice over a few weeks, it’s possible to strengthen those neural pathways in the brain that support positive reactions,” continues Landscape’s Vial. “Our job was to translate this unique approach and methodology into a brand advantage that can build trust, differentiation, and a following.”
Jessica Katona, Landscape’s Creative Director leading the project, adds: “The evolved brand succeeds in orienting a diverse audience to the power of mental fitness. While the idea of strengthening your mind may be a new one — the value of this practice is powerful. We worked with the Positive Intelligence team to define a system that could appeal broadly, communicate clearly, and be extended by their team as the business grows rapidly.”
To reflect the positive vibes the program unlocks for the participants, the agency used a vibrant color palette which the team accessorized with a series of child-like illustrations. Although they seem simple in terms of aesthetics, these drawings carry users towards a happy place, where one can calmly manage their worries, stress, and negative emotions. Contoured in hand-drawn linework, the images make the whole visual system feel more energetic and humane.
Completing the six-week Positive Intelligence course was the starting point of the immersion process for the Landscape team which, according to Vial and Katona, was an experience that helped the crew “articulate [their] work from a deeper level of understanding, feeling the positive impact the program has on our own lives firsthand.” As a result, the agency was able to bring the existing narrative elements — such as Saboteurs vs. Sage first laid out in the author’s 2012 book — into a coherent narrative, one that guides users throughout the digital course experience and platform.
The app was redesigned as well to allow easier and more delightful navigation. Set to provide help to users in tracking their progress, the app showcases Landscape-designed visuals, specially created to add a finishing touch to Chamine’s audio content.
“Whether you’re investing in your own mental fitness, or the mental fitness of your entire team, Positive Intelligence offers an engaging and intriguing experience that can challenge, delight, and benefit participants — we’re proud to have played a role in bringing that to life through design,” concludes Vial.
Both Positive Intelligence and the visual system designed by Landscape are a treat for your mind: While one helps you exercise your thoughts and keep your mental state in great shape, the other provides the visuals you might need to quench your thirst for creativity.
Credits:
Client: Positive Intelligence
Agency: Landscape