Connex Fort Worth businesses partner together

Trust Design Shop and Hulala Home partner for rebrand project

But first...read what Trust Design Shop had to say about their experience working at Connex Fort Worth - "We love our Connex office! The space is perfect for our two-person team, the location is great, and Jie [Melchiors] was an awesome resource from start to finish. Her attitude and helpfulness really sold us on Connex Fort Worth" - Jesse MacKenzie, Creative Director, Trust Design Shop

Collaboration. Innovation. Working together for mutual success. Connex Fort Worth brings entrepreneurs and their businesses together in a sustainable, environmentally friendly, centrally located space. The diverse group that makes up the ConnexFW community is perhaps its best trait. Trust Design Shop (#305) teamed up with Hulala Home (#109) in an important and integral business process. The rebrand.

We don't have to tell you the importance of a brand. We're also sure you know that the rebranding process isn't just a weekend project. Brand identity should convey a story, connect with a targeted customer base, hint at culture and values. As the saying goes, 'A picture is worth a thousand words', and a brand needs to cut far beyond surface-level relationships. A brand image should illicit deep feelings and connections with your audience. In other words, branding is a strategy. A carefully thought out, robust strategy that should enhance followership, strengthen reputation, and guard against dilution. The rebranding process needs to not only keep customers engaged, but also promote sustainability, differentiation and create value.

Simply put, it's something that needs to be done right, and something a company will be happy with for at least the next 5-10 years. In fact, consumer sentiment about the products they buy is continually evolving, as many have moved to expecting the brands they buy to be socially responsible, environmentally-friendly, and living out the values they claim.

Trust Design Shop aims to encapsulate these factors into each project they take on, which is why Hulala Home chose the firm to guide them through its rebranding process. "It's been a great experience so far," says Trust Print Shop's Creative Director Jesse MacKenzie (pictured above left. "We started talking with Jie (Hulala Home Director, pictured above right) several months ago, and then Heather (Hulala's Creative Director) was brought on to kick-off the process. She's been super helpful."

Trust Design Shop was born from Trust Print Shop, which was started in a garage. However, it was out of curiosity and necessity that owner Matt Lucas used as inspiration to create his business almost two decades ago. You see, Lucas had a band. Most bands, especially new and unknown bands, use merch to grow their fanbase at shows. Knowing that people like t-shirts, Lucas skipped the high-prices at screen print shops and just did it himself. Trust Print Shop was born. Lucas and his team use what they call a simple but powerful goal: making people's favorite shirts.

"Hannah [Smith] and I spent almost 13 years collectively at Trust Printshop", said MacKenzie. "Over the past few years we've noticed an opportunity and need for more full-featured design. Last year we created a new company, a design firm that could fill those gaps. Matt [Lucas] brought Hannah and I along as partners, and we kept the Trust name in the creation of Trust Design Shop. We still work with the printshop, but we are also an independent studio working with our own clients on logos, rebrands, websites, illustrations and packaging."

The collaboration produced comprehensive brand standards including new logos, customized color scheme and fonts, and customized icons for sections of the store's products.

Hulala branding

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