# Sayers

> Modernizing a 40-year-old brand rooted in innovation and people.

Case study by Marketwake: https://www.marketwake.com/work/sayers/

- Services: Brand, Web
- Scope: Brand messaging; Logo evolution; Visual identity; Web development launch
- Industry: IT consulting

Sayers was founded in 1984 when NFL Hall of Famer Gale Sayers began selling computer equipment door-to-door to Chicago businesses. The company had ridden every wave of technological innovation with one simple constant: their customers always came first.

When Sayers came to Marketwake, it had outgrown its current brand and visual identity. The old website was dated, tough to navigate, and did not clearly explain to visitors what the brand was uniquely good at. As a result, potential customers did not know Sayers existed or how broad its service offerings truly were. In an industry where Sayers competes with other large-scale, impersonal IT consultancies, it was time for the brand to position itself as the people-first partner.

Our goal was to give Sayers a modernized, sophisticated brand that could win CIO- and CISO-level buyers without losing the honesty, reliability, and personal care that continues to define the brand.

## Positioning Sayers as the people-first partner.

*brand messaging*

what we did: Messaging workshop, Persona creation, Brand positioning, Messaging framework

When NFL Hall of Famer Gale Sayers started the company in 1984, he did so with one mission: relentlessly put the customer first. Sayers has top-tier engineering talent, but relationships are always the priority. As a result, the message its new website leaned on would have to balance both value props, showcasing to potential customers that Sayers is where engineering excellence meets personalized care.

## Establishing a clear visual identity.

*visual identity*

what we did: Branding, Photography and imagery direction, Brand guidelines

Every visual element is just as important as the messaging when it comes to signaling expertise and approachability. For Sayers, that meant maintaining its green and blue color family while focusing on a more modern, exciting interpretation. People-forward photography to portray collaboration, creative graphic elements, and flexible uses of the new logo across the site helped us create a consistent look and feel.

## A tailored website to scale Sayers' online presence.

*web development*

what we did: UX strategy, Content strategy, Copywriting, Web design, Development, HubSpot integration

Sayers’ website is the main vehicle that brings its new branding, messaging, logo, and visual identity together. To help visitors understand what the brand does within seconds of landing on the new site, its architecture was seamlessly built around who Sayers is and who Sayers serves. Intentional, custom animations were also implemented to give the site a modern and inviting look.

## Taking Sayers’ new brand live.

*the launch*

what we did: Launch support, Photoshoot direction, Internal brand rollout

Following the project, Sayers invited Marketwake to its biannual sales meeting in Chicago. There, we launched the site together, unveiling the new look in the same market where Gale Sayers first started the company. A rebrand only works if all parties believe in it. The ongoing relationship perfectly mirrored the positioning we built for Sayers: partnerships over simple transactions.