About us

On the website that follows, we’re pleased to share an overview of our understanding of the opportunity and our initial thoughts on how we could partner together in developing your new brand, digital touchpoints, and its foundational footprint.

Launched in 2015 by Harji Singh, Azai Studios works with people and businesses to help them in the creation or evolution of their brand experience. We at Azai Studios apply creative and technical thought to deliver effective, sustainable, and inspiring design solutions at scale.

Now as a global agency with team members in New York City, Dubai, and Riga, we seek out diverse opportunities that celebrate cultural diversity and expression. Our reach across continents allows us to work in different time zones, and to collaborate with talent from around the world, all to provide our clients with top quality work. We could continue on in agency jargon but we figured we’d get to the important stuff…

Why us?

We're a small agency, and we're proud of that.

It's not always about the numbers, and we’re only as good as our last project. It lets us to say no to the projects that don't fit our ethos and allows us to be more transparent - because we can.

That's not a thing many agencies brag about, but we love it. We are a tight-knit team. All of us come from larger agency backgrounds, so we’ve seen may pain-points from client-side to agency-side.

We learned that when you work with big agencies, a lot of the time there are things that get in the way of simply doing the best work. Being the small lets us keep the focus on the work itself, and away from the mundane. It lets us be less bureaucratic, which enables out-of-the-box thinking.

Phases, Deliverables, Costs

Below you'll see a detailed outline of deliverables and fees for the associated activities. In addition, Azai Studios recommends earmarking an estimated $5,000 - $10,500 to put towards additional asset development to be defined mid-way through the project. This can be for additional creative such as motion graphics, illustrations and/or video. We feel that it's important to earmark these funds, and are conscious of the targeted cap for this initial phase of work and establishment of your brand.

For the deliverables listed within this document, Client will pay Azai Studios the following amounts. If additional deliverables or activities are required, additional fees may be incurred. All overages and out-of-pocket expenses will be approved beforehand by Client.

Phase 1 →
Research, Brand Strategy & Positioning

Our goal here is to weave our team into your organization to understand who, what, and how it all works.

Discovery, brand strategy and positioning gives our team a level overview of the company's current inner workings. During this phase, we set out to define the overall brand, vision, mission, positioning and messaging, in addition to client personas, competitive analysis, industry landscape, and brand strategy.

Assumptions

Client to provide all access to historic and current data (analytics, reports, trends and research reports)
Client provides all access to current content and copy docs
Agency may need to purchase industry specific reports in order to provide industry specific insights

Examples

Gateway Partners Brand Strategy →

Otto Hotels Brand Strategy →

Full Deliverables

Azai Studios Strategy Workshop

(1) One creative brief

(1) One strategy deck

Competitor analysis (a look at immediate, mass and low tier competitors in the marketplace) and industry trends
Brand content audit
Business Objective
Marketing Objective
Brand Challenge
Market Context
Brand Mission
Brand Slogan
Uniqueness
Industry Communication
Brand Communication Touchpoints
Brand Values
Target Audience Hypothetical Personas
Strategy Execution
Brand Messages
Communication Activities

Phase 2 →
Visual Identity Refresh + Brand on Application

We'll work together on building a brand identity and collateral that stands out in the marketplace. This phase aims to set the look and feel of the brand and how that rolls out across all digital, print, and experiential touchpoints. We want to create a brand system that can grow with the organization. Azai Studios builds out a fully custom digital brand guidelines which our clients can access at anytime.

Assumptions

Two (2) rounds of revision provided per presentation.
Client provides budget of what they wish to spend on printing and signage fabrication so Agency can specify the correct paper and production vendor.
Art buying as needed.
Written client feedback at each round, including a selection of a direction following round 1 and final acceptance upon 3rd round.

Examples

PW: azai123

Latvia World Expo →

Greenhouse →

Gateway Partners →

Microsoft Truly Secure →

Full Deliverables

Visual Identity Design ‍

This essential step will help us set the direction for the visual identity, and allow you to collaborate with our process at a very early stage. The visual identity will be a complete refresh of the company's logo systems, typography guidelines, color palettes, brand patterns, visual principals, art direction, and any other brand element necessary to tell the company's visual story.

R1 - Three (3) separate brand direction moodboards showcasing illustrations, typography, logo directions, art direction, color palettes and other design elements to create the visual identity. These directions will showcase all different touch points, from digital to print. A visual concept of your brand's voice/tone and look/feel filtered through three different stylescapes.
R2 - Further exploration of chosen direction, and incorporation of feedback
R3 - Refinement and finalization of brand visual identity

‍

Digital Brand Guidelines

Azai Studios converts the visual design system into a practical usage guideline showcasing all aspects of the newly developed brand.

One (1) personalized website with access to all brand assets

‍

Brand collateral, print, and fabrication design

One (1) option for business cards, letterheads, notecards
One (1) option for branded email templates
One (1) option for sales deck presentation (keynote)
One (1) option for email signatures
One (1) option for google forms template
One (1) option for Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Medium profile assets
One (1) option for branded gear (hoodies, T-Shirts)
Preparation of all files for production

Phase 3 →
UX Web Strategy & UI Web Design

We will take the defined goals from our strategy and apply them to the new website to showcase the company's story, case studies, services, team and overall product. We will seamlessly integrate any data feeds, newsletter sign-ups, and api functionality with additional focus on UX best practices and SEO optimization. The website will be designed with future-proof additions in mind.

The new website will feature the new visual identity created in Phase 2.

Assumptions

One (1) Round of revision of design files. Written client feedback at each round.
Azai Studios team will suggest any copy edits to ensure brand personality and voice matches brand strategy.
Client provides all website content, imagery, assets, and any other materials we deem necessary.
Phase 3 costs are for UI/UX only. Development coasts showcased in Phase 4.

Full Deliverables

Website Prototype & Designs

We will conduct a full website audit to suggest the best layout and website practices. Azai Studios will work alongside the client's team to ensure all pages are accounted for and organized in the most systematic way possible. Azai Studios may suggest new website flows to improve overall design and outcome based on best UX practices.

Stage 1 -- Website architecture & user flows
Stage 2 -- Website wireframes
Stage 3 -- Website hi-fidelity design incorporating all visual elements and copy. Hi-fi design are prototyped to showcase website's flow.

‍

One (1) full website architecture presentation Adobe XD File
One (1) full clickable website wireframe Adobe XD File
One (1) full UI Kit & Library
Website copywriting
Fully designed hi-fi prototyped website with micro-interactions

Phase 4 →
Website Development

After we have full approvals on website designs, our team will begin coding the website and connecting it to the appropriate CMS Platform.

Development Options:

Webflow

Custom React Frontend + Headless CMS

Assumptions

Client has full understanding of different CMS platforms and has made an educated decision. Azai Studios will provide CMS suggestions based on website designs.
Client has full sign off on all page designs.
Hosting & maintenance billed separately at a monthly to-be-determined rate.

‍

Full Deliverables

Full Website Development

The development phase will consist of building the website based off of the approved hi-fidelity design. and selected content. We will set up a testing environment to push changes and updates as they progress.

One (1) fully developed website incorporating all pages from design phase
Fully responsive website
QA Testing, Cross browser testing
CMS setup
SEO Checklists
Content Entry & Migration
Analytics connections & integrations
CMS training
Hosting & maintenance billed separately

‍Key Development Objectives

Retain existing SEO rankings

Google Custom Search API
Document Management with the ability to replace and update document files without needing to reconnect links
Optimized media to improve site speed and loading time
Forms capable of conditional logic and custom submission messages
MailChimp Integration
Social media integration

Total Cost Breakdown

Role

Weeks

Total

Phase 1

14 Phase 2

14 Phase 3

14 Phase 4

14 Total

$115,000

Payment Schedules:
40% due at project start
30% due at 50% project completion
30% due at 100% deliverable/launch

Estimated Timing

90 Days

This estimate is given with timely approvals. The formal SOW to follow will encompass a more detailed timeline created with client feedback to account for any days off or suggestions. At project kick off, our team provides a fully web-based interactive timeline gantt chart.

Full interactive timeline delivered upon SOW draft.

Examples

Truly Secure | Microsoft Partner

Strategy, Branding, Web Design, Content, OOH ads, Print Design

Truly Secure is a full-service technology company empowering clients with intelligent cloud, IT, and cybersecurity solutions. As a new entrant in the space, they have the unique opportunity to revitalize a traditional industry, and invited Azai Studios to create their young, yet tech-centered visual identity.

Visit Website

Main Technologies - Building a self sovereign identity

Strategy, Branding, UX & User Flows, UI Design, Web Design, Content Production, Paid Media

Main, (Main Access & Identity Network) is on a mission to restore control of identity and ownership of data back in the hands of people by solving an existing but related problem that lays down the groundwork in an exciting package. To weave the full story together, Azai Studios partnered with the company on creating their full brand strategy, ux/ui designs, website designs, content production, and paid growth marketing.

Visit Website

Svea Solar

Brand Strategy, Identity Design, Website Design

The current visual language of sustainability and green energy is built on clichés. Sweden's biggest solar energy company - SVEASolar wanted to position away from this, giving us an opportunity to fully rebrand SVEA and provide a new strategic angle - PowerShift. Agencies partnered to developed a distinct visual system playing with the notion of ‘power’. This allowed them to create a suite of visual assets that are fresh, bright and forward thinking. Combining the bright electric visual style with the bold product imagery allowed SVEA Solar to sit strategically between creativity and technology. The creative was rolled out across all channels, including the digital platform, brand platform, copywriting, the app and product imagery.

Visit Web App

Greenhouse

Branding & UI Redeising

Greenhouse is a leading hiring software company that builds winning hiring cultures for the world’s smartest and most successful organizations. Several agencies partnered together to bring their new brand to life in a fully-optimized digital experience, with demand generation and thought leadership at the center. The new brand was expanded into a thoughtful digital brand and UI component system—pushing far beyond typical conventions and aesthetics seen in the SaaS space, creating a novel way to visualize the Greenhouse product dashboard, syncing it with the new brand, removing the need for tedious asset updates when changes are made to UI.

Visit the brand portal

OneLab

Strategy, Branding, Web Design, Content, OOH ads, Print Design

OneLab believes that health, the work environment and profitability are interconnected. OneLab creates modern business health solutions aimed at companies who want their staff to feel good, develop and perform at a top-level. Their health analysis is simple and safe to carry out and allows a minimal level of participation. The results are detailed feedback with clear statistics and concrete measurements – that are beneficial to both employer and employees.

Visit Website

Core Team

Harji S.

Founder & Creative Director

Harji has over a decade of experience working in branding, marketing, and content production. He started working in the creative field at visual communication and design agency, where he discovered the ins and outs of building brands. He's worked with several noteworthy companies, from Microsoft to Invesco Advisors, McLaren Automotive to Nespresso.

Through his career, Harji was able to work in a wide range of industries spanning from financial services, to real estate, to hospitality, to tech, fashion, automotive, and luxury brands. After working his way up to Creative Director at BBDO group, he ventured onto founding his own Creative Agency. With award-winning work and teams in New York, Dubai, and Riga, his focus remains on creating brands that drive businesses forward.

Krists D.

Lead Designer

Krists is a Birmingham City University graduate with 8 years of experience in graphic design, creating visual identities and design systems for various clients both locally and internationally. He is the founder of brand guideline tool Corebook and internationally published project 21wallpaper. Krists joined the Azai Studios team in 2017 and is now the head of Design. Krists is also the studio lead for Azai Studios Riga.

Japna K.

Lead Strategist

With her global media agency experience, Japna brings a diverse background working across multiple disciplines ranging from Research and Consumer Segmentation to Brand strategy and quantifying campaign success through Measurement solutions. She brings years of experience working with an impressive portfolio of clients, from Fortune 500 companies to smaller start-up brands. Japna now handles all client Accounts and Strategy at Azai Studio's New York City office.

Preliminary Proposal

Client:

Objective:

Draft

Last Updated

Proposed By

New YorkDubai

Presented to

Welcome Michelle,‍Thank you for taking the time to consider Azai Studios as your agency partner.

About us

Why us?

You've got some goals, we got some ways to get there

A brand & digital refresh creating consistency, cohesiveness and brand equity.

A memorable and unique website to position you as a trusted industry leader.

A reliable agency partnerthat understands your business and industry.

Phases, Deliverables, Costs

Phase 1 →Research, Brand Strategy & Positioning

Assumptions

Examples

Gateway Partners Brand Strategy →

Otto Hotels Brand Strategy →

Full Deliverables

Phase 2 →Visual Identity Refresh + Brand on Application

Assumptions

Examples

Latvia World Expo →

Greenhouse →

Gateway Partners →

Microsoft Truly Secure →

Full Deliverables

Phase 3 →UX Web Strategy & UI Web Design

Assumptions

Full Deliverables

Phase 4 →Website Development

Assumptions

Full Deliverables

Total Cost Breakdown

Role

Weeks

Total

Phase 1

14

Phase 2

14

Phase 3

14

Phase 4

14

Total

$115,000

Payment Schedules: 40% due at project start30% due at 50% project completion30% due at 100% deliverable/launch

Estimated Timing

90 Days

Examples

Core Team

Client References

Next Steps ...

Interested in learning about our full process? Visit our process page.

Currently working on

New York
Dubai

Welcome Michelle,
‍
Thank you for taking the time to consider Azai Studios as your agency partner.

A reliable agency partner
that understands your business and industry.

Phase 1 →
Research, Brand Strategy & Positioning

Phase 2 →
Visual Identity Refresh + Brand on Application

Phase 3 →
UX Web Strategy & UI Web Design

Phase 4 →
Website Development

Payment Schedules:
40% due at project start
30% due at 50% project completion
30% due at 100% deliverable/launch