22 Squared
WestWayne—the sixth largest independent ad agency in the US—reframed its mission and decided to change their name. Their new model focused on brands as friends, and their new philosophy came with a rather thorough scientific investigation. The name, 22 Squared, reflects the work of a sociologist who theorized that Americans have 484 friends (actual friends, not social media "friends") over the course of their lifetime.
Polemic took hugs, quick notes jotted on a piece of scrap paper, and honest language to create an identity that harnessed the familiar, warm aspects of friendship. We also took all of that scientific research and distilled it into a number-driven brand book illustrated by Ted McGrath. The results were powerful, and 22 Squared (re)launched with remarkable success, winning over 4 new accounts within the first year.
Polemic designed 22 Squared's logo as two numbers hugging. We adopted yellow—a color symbolically associated with friendship—as the primary palette, and crafted custom letterforms with soft, curved edges to make the typography friendlier.
Polemic transformed the number 2 into a human avatar to represent myriad personalities. We created a tapestry of personalities—bold, shy, elegant, bombastic, and some just downright ugly and bizarre—into a pattern to be used as envelope liners, wrapping paper, and for note cards and correspondence.
Polemic commissioned custom pencils, No. 22
We developed cards that were attached in a matchbook-style packet. 22 Squared employees rip off a card, which feature a casual, handwritten description of them. The entire "ritual" was developed to make a rather stuffy, corporate formality into a more natural, humane experience.
T-Shirts with logos are boring and predictable. Polemic designed these shirts—the origin of the company's name—as a conversation starter. They worked a little too well.
To celebrate 22 Squared's launch, we developed a "By The Numbers" Brand Book that highlighted all of the research that led to the new identity. We collaborated with Ted McGrath, an award-winning illustrator, as well as developing a "@#$%-Up Factory"—an assembly line that personalized each book to give it a broken-in, well-used feel.
