Case study · Brand and e-commerce
Giving a small team a store they could run themselves.
At scheel-mann USA I handled marketing, design, and branding for a very small team. One of my main projects was replacing a website nobody on staff could update with a store the team could run themselves.
The situation
A well-made product that needed a better storefront.
scheel-mann makes handmade orthopedic seats in Stuttgart and has since the sixties. A husband and wife run the US distribution, and the whole team was the two of them, me, a sales lead, a shop lead, and a warehouse lead.
The old website ran on a custom system built by a local developer. Every change meant emailing him and waiting, it didn't look the part, and it couldn't take an order.
The approach
Making the team more independent.
I moved the site to Shopify with a custom theme, so for the first time the team could sell online and update the site themselves. Alongside it I built a brand book covering type, color, layouts, and everyday pieces like business cards. On a team that small, I also picked up whatever product and marketing work needed a designer.
The work
Shopify store and custom theme
A store the team could update and sell from themselves, replacing a site only one outside developer could change.
Brand book
Typography, layouts, color, standards, and business cards, built from scratch.
Product development
When prototypes of a redesigned chair came back poor, I drew up the changes so the team could explain them to the factory, and illustrated the install guides.
Race truck livery
A vintage-inspired livery for the company's NORRA race truck. It became one of the most popular pieces of brand artwork they have.
Concepts for a print campaign.
Ad ideas for overland and enthusiast magazines, built from the brand book.