Analogue’s identity and website bring clarity and character to development agency Ask Phill

The fact that development agency Ask Phill is pretty good at what they do doesn’t give them an air of stuck-up seriousness. They’re established and innovative, yes, but they’re also experimental and playful. Ask Phill wanted to underscore this seeming contrast in their personality in their refreshed identity and website; so, the team rang up Amsterdam-based independent design agency Analogue.

The resulting design for the website – which was developed by Ask Phill itself – feels very of the moment, marrying a confident typographic approach with a modular design system that lends clarity to the brand. “We aimed for the identity to evoke a sense of established credibility, modernity, and playfulness,” Creative Director Julian Mollema tells us. Through the choice of fonts, colours, and design elements, we sought to convey professionalism and reliability, while also signalling a commitment to innovation and digital-first approaches.”

Many elements add a degree of agility to the design, such as the ‘Menu’ button on the homepage that swiftly opens up a list of pages when clicked on. The light-hearted spirit of the brand is subtly etched into certain interactions – such as scrolling graphic cards and tags, as well as the ‘Ready to build the next?’ toggle button at the end of the homepage. “Ask Phill has a playful side, felt especially in their team. We tried to reflect that in their identity and website through lively animations and a vibrant colour palette,” adds Mollema. “This fun-loving aspect not only adds charm to their image, but also highlights their flexibility and ability to adapt in the fast-paced digital world.”

The character and story of the agency touched every aspect of the brand building – from the choice of the typeface to the colour palette. “Ask Phill is among the top-tier Shopify development agencies in Europe, widely recognised for its impressive track record and extensive experience. To give the brand a sense of established credibility, we chose Inter as the main font, conveying a feeling of trustworthiness and sophistication.” Used across the brand, the crisp legibility of Inter amps up the character of Ask Phill, as does the use of red as the hero hue. The choice of the colour, though, has a backstory.

The name of the agency was born during a trip Co-founders Martijn Wijsmuller and Paul Veen took to Guangzhou, China, where they ended up asking their hotel manager Phill for tips and tricks to navigate the city. For whatever they needed, they could ‘Ask Phill,’ and hence, the moniker was born as a tribute to collaboration. The colour red in the identity is a reminder of that trip as it “pays homage to the Chinese flag,” says Wijsmuller, “symbolising not only our profound appreciation for the culture and hospitality we experienced during the trip, but also evoking notions of prosperity, vitality, and good fortune.”