Branding | Strategy | Design | Copywriting

Scott Mitchem, Branding Methodology + Case Study: INDIGO

New York, NY

Scott Mitchem formalized his personal process for branding while at Office In Concept (OIC), where he served as Managing Partner and Co–Creative Director of the boutique creative agency. The process was obviously influenced by his editorial work, relying heavily on curated interviews and research — similar to the more contemporary concept of design thinking — and what OIC called “mainframes.”

Mainframes are summaries of trends and cultural currents that, whether existing within the competitive set or on the periphery of a brand, were relevant to the brand’s ongoing evolution and its ability to develop new product offerings, adapt to market events, and scale vertically ahead of its competition. A collection of industry experts, journalists, and strategists informed the work together with OIC team members.

Mainframes were the result of in-house trend analyses and intelligence reporting that OIC executed for internal use and for such clients as MTV and Schwinn Bikes. Concepts such as Kidspertise, Teen Upscaling, and Age Compression are examples of trends and intelligence that were applied to deliverables for both companies.

This quintessentially editorial and comprehensive approach to the survey aspect of the process ensured that the design and development phase was rich with material to use in the execution of smart, sophisticated brand work that transcended individual taste.

Branding Methodology

Selected Branding Project, INDIGO Expeditions