The work.
Overview.
Two significant events occurred in 2021 and 2022 that propelled Monks to its current position. In September 2021, Monks acquired TheoremOne, a technology services provider founded in 2007. Led by CEO Brady Brim-DeForest, TheoremOne offered innovative engineering and technology solutions to clients. The team provided product strategy, engineering, design, and culture advice, collaborating to develop technology solutions. With over 70% of its employees based in the US and Canada, TheoremOne employed a team to serve enterprises globally, including American Express, Intel, Starbucks, and Caterpillar.
In May 2022, Monks acquired Zemoga, a design and technology services provider founded in 2002. Zemoga complements enterprise clients with groundbreaking design and technologies that enhance their lives and business operations. They designed and engineered superior digital products at a rapid pace, managing front-end and back-end mobile engineering, product design, and UX strategy.
Unlike agencies or software factories, Zemoga thrives by bridging disciplines and operating under an integrated model for an integrated market. They assemble the most talented digital professionals in Colombia and the US to develop and maintain digital transformation tools as extensions of their clients’ teams. Their model emphasizes strong, respectful, and enduring relationships with clients such as Bridgestone, Sony, and Morningstar.
In October 2023, a strategic merger between TheoremOne and Zemoga was announced. This pioneering venture was the newest division of Monks at the time, creating a dynamic digital marketing powerhouse that designs award-winning campaigns for some of the world’s most influential enterprises. A unification of organizations was born, built to leverage the exceptional legacy of the individual brands and propel the new team to heights of innovation, quality, and success.
This merger immediately resulted in a lack of separation between the pre-existing flashy, animated, and colorful brand messaging from Monks. Formula.Monks was established as the technology division of Monks, with the intention of focusing on enterprise software solutions and consulting. Realistically, presenting technology executives with consultative material branded from an energetic advertising agency would never allow our team to gain access. I was tasked with bridging the gap to maintain a brand identity that took creative liberties with the Monks brand while preserving its credibility, but scaling it back to be more presentable to a typical CIO or CTO.
Additionally, I wanted to specifically pay homage to both TheoremOne and Zemogo so that both teams could feel represented by the new brand identity.
Research.
In our conversation with Brady Brim-Deforest, CEO of Formula.Monks, we recognized the importance of conducting thorough research to establish an effective brand identity that represents the merger of TheoremOne and Zemoga. This research involved analyzing the individual representations of both brands and identifying the appropriate similarities and differences in their relationship with Monks. By doing so, we aimed to minimize any significant disconnect between Formula.Monks and the overall Monks brand when presenting to potential clients.
To achieve this, we made several adjustments to the brand’s visual style. We reduced the use of animations, scribble effects, and bright backgrounds in favor of more subdued expressions, pixel-perfect layouts, and uniformity. While we maintained a vibrant accent color palette, bold typography, and a contemporary aesthetic, we also avoided excessive flashiness or overstimulation.
Color conscious.
The official color palette of Monks comprises 11 distinct colors, complemented by pastel and tinted variations, resulting in a total of 33 official brand colors. However, due to the absence of clearly defined use cases, guidelines, or WCAG adherence, the Monks brand was experiencing a greater degree of “creative expression” than anticipated.
In contrast, for Formula.Monks, I believed that adopting a more muted color palette, establishing robust guidelines, and providing pre-built materials would encourage teams to embrace the new brand structure. I reduced the color palette to a set of neutrals, primary, secondary, and overlay colors. Ultimately, the brand was designed to utilize three distinct colors: “Formula.Red,” “Formula.Blue,” and “Formula.Green” (as depicted below).
Align and define.
Since its relaunch with S4 Capital in 2018, Monks has experienced rocket-like global growth. The agency has garnered numerous accolades, including Adweek’s Fastest Growing lists (2019-23), ranks among Cannes Lions’ Top 10 Creative Companies (2022-23), and is the only partner to have been consistently placed in AdExchanger’s Programmatic Power Players list (2020-24).
To further enhance its capabilities, Monks recently integrated Formula.Monks, a technology services provider focused on accelerating business possibilities and redefining brand-business interactions.
I extend my sincere gratitude to Brady Brim-Deforest and Sir Martin Sorrell for entrusting my recommendations to implement a polished, unified, and comprehensive brand identity for Formula.Monks. Not only did we successfully create a brand that retains the Monks ethos and passion, but we also empowered the new team members with a fresh and refined vision to be proud of and embrace.
Prior to the launch, we prepared hundreds of pre-designed slide decks and templates for immediate use. Additionally, we established a user-friendly folder structure that facilitates seamless collaboration across teams. Despite initial reservations among some teams within Formula.Monks’ creative organization, we ultimately delivered a successful brand identity that not only serves the Formula.Monks team but also the entire Monks ecosystem.
Press.
"Having witnessed his work first-hand, I know how much dedication and care he puts into every project. He should feel immensely proud to see this world-class brand come to life. I always get to witness his talents every day, but I'm so proud the rest of the world gets to see it too!"
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Please note that this portfolio is undergoing active updates and contains an extensive back catalog.
(Last updated: January 28, 2025)
