HiQ Brand

Put the thing down, flip it and reverse IT.

In it’s essence the new HiQ brand is playful, geeky and self-aware. The brand is not timid and doesn’t blindly follow the common IT consultancy trends.

It doesn’t try to conform to the industry mould yet does not purposely rebel against it.

Keep IT playful - the visual language of the brand

Stockholm based HiQ was founded in 1995. From early on the HiQ brand had a distinct look and feel to it - more colourful, analogue and free-spirited than it’s contemporaries. By 2020s though the identity had grown stale and dated even though it still stood out - just not in a positive way anymore.

We wanted it to remain loyal to the freewheeling spirit of HiQ as a brand and a workplace and create an identity that was still truly unique - and not just within it’s category.

The new identity is best described as little mischievous. Instead of anchoring it into a rigid palette of 2 to 3 colors and the generic almost stock photo like imagery of IT consultancies it consists of almost surrealistic bespoke illustrations and expressive typography.

The identity’s visual building blocks are the trinity of Angular (low polygon elements in illustrations, buttons, underlying grids), Rounded (backdrops, image mask - mobile aesthetic) and Organic (analogue elements in illustrations, handwriting, logo).

These elements provide a vast amount of needed variety in the usage of the brand. It can easily be toned down for a respectable contract template or be turned to 11 for a recruitment event.

HiQ-branded beer bottle featuring bold custom packaging — part of Great Apes’ expressive visual identity system for a playful tech consultancy.
Visual branding system for HiQ combining angular, organic, and rounded elements to define a unique, expressive identity

The logo was completely redrawn, but still retains the hand-lettered aesthetic of the 1995 ink doodle.

Final logo has an dynamic italic slant for a more signature feel with a subtle lightning bolt running through it.

Expansive brand color system developed by Great Apes for HiQ, featuring saturated gradients and flexible tones for digital and print applications.
HiQ brand announcement visual using expressive typography and tactile textures — blending analog spirit with digital boldness.
HiQ recruitment campaign visual with custom 3D illustrations — showcasing unique approach to employer branding for the digital age.

Unrefined & organic yet technical typography

Hand-drawn expressive typographic element from HiQ brand toolkit — capturing the identity’s quirky tone and visual spontaneity.

Reimagine IT

Illustrations play a key role in the new HiQ brand. They are always bespoke and 3D-based (unless a 2D illustration style is tailored to compliment them).

Quirky, weird, colorful and humorous combining organic and “techy” elements. Conceptually abstract and stylistically unique.

The illustration concepts explore almost surrealistic metaphors for fairly visually uninspiring topics.

Playful brand visual for HiQ showing vintage computer with sad emoji — symbolizing bad tech and HiQ’s mission to fix it creatively.
Quirky campaign image for HiQ featuring retro tech failure metaphor — critiquing outdated IT solutions with visual humor.
Portrait with bold styling and oversized button — a fashion-forward metaphor for decisive action in digital transformation.
Retro satire image used by HiQ to personify tech fatigue — illustrating the emotional toll of bad digital experiences.
Conceptual brand image critiquing restrictive tech systems — portraying the user as hostage to legacy IT.

“Say no to bad tech” online campaign photography

HiQ brand asset with minimalist 3D button — representing simplicity, clarity and a strong call-to-action in digital experiences.
HiQ mobile website UI showing employee benefits — combining crisp UX with brand-specific illustration language.
HiQ website mockup with floating 3D visuals — showcasing a full-stack digital identity and service design approach.
HiQ social media post parodying bad tech and user exhaustion.

Obviously (mostly) digital

Naturally an identity for an IT consultancy is almost solely designed for digital use. Company swag and exhibition stands being the analogue exception.

Almost all illustrations are animated and optimized to be used on screens - such as the group website, social media posts and targeted online advertising.

STOCKHOLM - GÖTEBORG - HELSINKI - MALMÖ - BERLIN - VÄSTERÅS - ESPOO - GDYNIA - LUND - NÖRRKÖPING - HELSINGBORG - MUNICH - KARLSKRONA
Joyful complexity — merging digital aesthetics with physical metaphors.
Websitehiq.fi