Arctic Leaf Agency Rebrand

After more than five years with the same branding and website, it was time for a change. Arctic Leaf has grown a lot in that time: new people, new capabilities, and a clearer sense of what makes us different. The rebrand was about bringing all of that into focus and creating a brand that actually feels like us.

We started by taking a hard look at how our brand was being perceived. Using analytics, user recordings, and interviews, we pieced together a full picture of what potential clients thought when they came across Arctic Leaf. A few things stood out right away. People cared more about trust and quality than the details of our services. The way our site was structured made us feel a bit too "off the shelf," when in reality, we take a very tailored, full-service approach. And our friendly, illustration-heavy style, while approachable, didn’t capture the intensity, craftsmanship, and high standards that really define our team. In short, we looked friendlier than we felt, and not in the right way.

So, we rethought everything, from visuals and voice to how we tell our story.

Going Dark Mode + Northern Lights
We wanted something memorable to anchor the new brand, something that instantly says "Arctic Leaf." The northern lights felt like a perfect fit. They’re rare, beautiful, and constantly changing form. There’s also something special about having to be in the right place at the right time to experience them, much like finding the right agency partner. The dark theme naturally followed. Just like the lights shine brightest against a night sky, our new color palette comes alive against a deep, moody background.

Logo Upgrade
We didn’t want to reinvent the logo completely. Instead, we refined it. The familiar iceberg shape stayed, but we swapped the old bright blue for an icy gradient. It feels truer to the name and adds a sense of depth and sophistication that better matches where we are as a brand.

Brand Voice Overhaul
Our old brand voice was friendly but long-winded, a little too polished and a little too corporate. The new voice is more direct and personal. It’s still warm, but there’s more confidence behind the words. We wanted people to feel like they were talking to real experts who love what they do, not reading a brochure.

E-commerce Inspiration
Because so much of our work is in e-commerce, we wanted to pay homage to that in the site design. The portfolio now works like a product category page, where you can filter by type and quickly find what interests you. It’s a fun nod to our roots, but it’s also genuinely useful for visitors exploring our work.

Photography
The old brand leaned heavily on illustration, which created a bit of distance between us and our audience. For the refresh, we wanted to feel more real and grounded. That meant more photography, less stock, and more of the actual team front and center. It’s honest, transparent, and shows the people behind the work.

Illustration
Illustration still plays a role, just a more refined one. We used northern-lights-inspired gradients and gentle animations to give life to abstract ideas without overwhelming the rest of the design.

Information Architecture
We also reworked the site’s structure to make it easier for potential clients to find what they need. Instead of listing out every single service, we focused on two clear paths: "Services" and "Goals." The Goals section frames our work in terms of outcomes, solving specific problems or meeting key objectives, which feels a lot more natural and client-focused.

The End Result
Since launch, the new brand has given our team a stronger sense of direction and a shared visual language to rally around. Visitors are staying longer, exploring more, and converting more often. But more than anything, the site finally feels like us: confident, adaptive, and committed to doing great work.