Patriot Software

Patriot needed a brand that represents their best-in-class business solutions and stands out amongst the competition, while staying true to their origins. They know firsthand what business owners need, and created solutions that offer powerful payroll and accounting software at an affordable price with outstanding support. We knew a compelling brand would help Patriot continue their mission with greater traction and announce, "we're here!"

Part of what makes Patriot Software different from their competitors is their dedication to their customers' success. After a rough start, they know the struggles most American small businesses go through and are committed to alleviating some of those struggles. We worked with Patriot to identify their three brand attributes as trusted, relatable, and intuitive, and to define a brand strategy true to both their roots and their trajectory.

From core messages to visual identity, we knew their new brand needed to show the humanity behind Patriot, while confidently communicating their competitive solutions.

Brand communications are a purposeful, consistent expression of a brand through words and prose styles that inform, engage, and motivate. The interpretation of a brand is determined, in large measure, by the words they use and the sentences they write.

The Patriot brand voice is affable, straightforward, and self-possessed. The general tone of Patriot is helpful, warm, and clever. We also worked with Patriot to develop their brand story, core messaging and positioning, and a style reference to guide all their future communications.

“We get it. We’ve got your back. We’re your partner.”

After pairing a word like "Patriot" with powerful type, a mark became an unnecessary addition to an already great solution. However, finding that powerful type was no easy feat. After dozens of options, Podium Sharp makes the Patriot logotype feel appropriate, simple, and distinctive.

Patriot Software's previous visual language was somewhat muted and humble: they had to prove themselves worthy of handling something as crucial as accounting and payroll for small businesses. However, after proven success and building a powerful product, Patriot needed a visual language that positioned them as a proud industry leader. Bold colors and typography throughout the identity announce the refreshed brand.

Typography: Balboa Condensed is a commanding and attention-grabbing font that gives Patriot the freedom to express messaging with a powerful yet trusted and secure feeling. Meanwhile, Gangster Grotesk's sharp contrast and character allows Patriot to come across as relatable and human.

Color: In the U.S., "Patriot" immediately sparks images of red, white, and blue, and stars and stripes. We wanted to avoid these associations so the Patriot Software story could stand on its own. Instead, we combined red and blue to create purple: a powerful color without a political stance. Purple is also associated with wealth and creativity. Vivid Violet is bold and ownable in the accounting and payroll industry.

Photography Styles: To make the visual system feel more human, we made recommendations for photo styles and a handwritten signature element. The primary photo style shows a business owner in their element, to communicate that because of Patriot, the customer is able to spend more time doing what they love.

Adding a customer signature adds a layer of authenticity and trust that elevates the Patriot brand.

For the interactive experience, we applied Patriot’s fresh new visual identity to their existing website content. We made careful choices to showcase the credibility and the empathy of Patriot in equal measure. Photography featuring real Patriot customers and employees helps to make the site feel more friendly, approachable, and authentic. Vivid Violet is an appropriately confident color for a strong industry leader and an exciting departure in a competitive landscape oversaturated with blues.

Bold typography throughout Patriot's website helps to cement them as a strong leader in the accounting and payroll space. We reserved the "Electric Cherry" pink as a pop of color that helps to draw the user's attention to key calls to action.

For the homepage, we created a stylized version of the Patriot Software UI to provide users with a quick understanding of the application, without the visual noise of unnecessary details (a dummy company, detail copy, specific numbers).