Substance

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Overview

$10,000+

Min Project Size

$50 - $99/hr

Avg Hourly Rate

2 - 9

Employees

2005

Year Founded

ABOUT SUBSTANCE

Research. Strategy. Design. That's Substance.

We are primarily a brand strategy firm, not just focused on design. Our goal is to assist brands in conveying their stories with depth and authenticity. What’s your narrative? This question lies at the core of effective branding. What makes you unique and distinguishes you from others? We delve into the tough questions, and when we're finished, your brand and the resulting work will be significantly improved. Let’s collaborate to create a brand together.

Tech Stack

VueJSNodeJSReact NativeRuby on RailsSDLSpring MVCZend PHP

Languages Spoken

English

HIGHLIGHTS

$10,000+

Min Project Size

$50 - $99/hr

Avg Hourly Rate

2 - 9

Employees

2005

Year Founded

Services

Focus

Industries

Clients

Services Provided+1 Services

18% Brand Identity Design

10% Logo Design

10% Brand Guidelines Development

5% Marketing Collateral Design

3% Packaging Design

5% Social Media Graphics & Templates

30% Content Marketing Strategy

12% Marketing Funnel Development

About the Team

OUR STORY

Founded in 2005, Substance specializes in strategic organizational branding, excelling in complex rebrands that involve multiple entities and stakeholders. The company values long-term partnerships, working directly with client teams without intermediaries, fostering collaboration and challenging assumptions to explore innovative solutions. Founder Matthew Brett, with a BFA in Graphic Design, leads brand strategies for transformative projects, including notable work like Neovia Logistics' operational carve-out and Google's C2C community launch. Alongside Substance, Prosper Strategies, co-founded by Alyssa Conrardy and Lindsay Mullen, focuses on nonprofit marketing to drive social change. Alyssa and Lindsay bring expertise from journalism and strategic communications, guiding nonprofits to maximize their impact in sectors such as education and healthcare. Together, these teams combine deep expertise and a client-centered approach

Portfolio

AFC Change the Story Campaign

AIDS Foundation of Chicago

The AIDS Foundation of Chicago has been at the forefront of the battle against AIDS in Illinois for more than 25 years. In an effort to raise awareness and encourage donations, AFC engaged Substance to create an online and print campaign aimed at both current and past donors. We developed the theme “Change the Story” to illustrate how supporting AFC in their fight against AIDS can lead to significant and impactful results. The artistic approach initially sets the stage for a sports or news narrative, but then introduces a striking statistic about HIV/AIDS that captures attention and creates a lasting impression. To explore the complete case study, visit: https://isubstance.com/portfolio-items/aids-foundation-of-chicago/

Forefront Naming and Branding

Forefront

Donors Forum was the largest and longest-established network of nonprofit and social impact organizations in Illinois. With a 40-year legacy of enhancing the quality of life for everyone in the state, they had a strong track record of success and significant brand recognition. However, the nonprofit landscape has evolved considerably over the years. Their mission has transitioned from transactional relationships to those focused on generating impact. Substance created the name Forefront to emphasize the innovative aspect of their mission. The overlapping circles symbolize the idea that individuals and organizations are strengthened by collaborating with one another. These circles also reflect the rich diversity of the state—its people, geography, and potential. The colors directly relate to their mission: to foster a thriving social impact sector for all Illinois residents. For the complete case study, visit: https://isubstance.com/portfolio-items/forefront/

C2C: The Google Cloud Community

C2C

C2C connects Google Cloud users worldwide to exchange ideas, insights, and strategies in an environment designed for genuine, peer-to-peer discussions about the cloud. We created the brand's name, logo, website, and overall visual identity.

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