Designing an integrated brand story

Science at the core

Cognition initially started working with Cytokinetics on brand experience through media and interactive exhibits for their conference trade show booths. The projects included bringing their science value proposition to life by telling the story of the sarcomere and cardiac muscle biology.

Cytokinetics continued to partner with us to bring their brand into key physical spaces throughout their office, ensuring harmony between interior design, art, and overall brand. By evaluating blueprints alongside the Cytokinetics mission, vision, and story, we designed a strategy to evoke desired employee behaviors in each space: activation, contemplation, and collaboration.

This allowed us to tap into the rich history of Cytokinetics research into muscle biology and bring elements of their founders, the biology, the patients, and the passion into their new building.

Seamless team and construction integration

Cognition set out to craft a brand story focused on patients with impaired muscle function and a celebration of science. We implemented this narrative across screens, walls, and other areas at Cytokinetics for a cohesive brand voice. Working in concert with the interior architect, art buyer, and construction management, we arrived at key decisions together, ensuring that the brand was at the core of the building experience.

Key outcomes

• Experience patients’ lived realities
• Take pride in the science
• Embody brand values
• Feel motivated for work
• Express values in daily tasks

A motivating visual identity for Cytokinetic’s building

The design language needed to not only complement the interior architecture but also strengthen the future of Cytokinetics’ brand. We extended the brand color system, typography, and photography to create bold, clean, and motivating designs. These elements evoke the future of Cytokinetics’ science as a potential therapy for patients with cardiac diseases.

This dynamic project, spanning multiple floors of a new building, allowed for exploration in patterns, digital screens, installations, storytelling, and brand activation spaces.

From lobby digital walls and scientific poster wallpaper to a new spin on the periodic table to discuss muscle biology, this project is rich with brand activation.