CarMax
Visual System
Visual systems (Illustration / icon / logo systems) · Company-wide scale
Built and managed CarMax's UI and marketing icon and illustration sets for company-wide use, plus the sports-partnership brand guideline that keeps activations on-brand as they scale.
Context: CarMax stands as the largest used-car retailer in the United States, renowned for its straightforward "no-haggle" sales approach and extensive nationwide inventory. They are committed to providing a smooth omnichannel experience, enabling customers to buy, sell, or trade vehicles either online or at their physical locations nationwide.
Marketing Icons
Approach: Building on our style discovery insights, I guided the team to create a three-tier design approach. Each tier offers varying levels of fidelity, enabling us to implement iconography consistently across our brand. The icons are designed to scale into three sizes, each featuring subtle variations. In the middle tier, the small highlighted object is filled. At the smallest size, certain elements are simplified, and shapes are opened up to create breathing space with negative space.
Sports partnership logo systems
Challenge: The audit of our sports partnerships revealed issues with inconsistent sizes and incorrect placements of partner logos relative to the CarMax logo.
My role: I researched various teams and leagues with different partnerships to analyze the arrangement of their logos. I focused on establishing a systematic approach for this analysis and provided training to WNBA, NBA, NWSL, and local teams on implementing this logo system effectively.
Approach: I recognized the necessity for a system that boosts consistency and strengthens brand recognition. After experimenting with different proportions of partner logos in relation to the CarMax logo, I developed a template for the leagues and teams to implement.
Illustrations
Challenge: Setting clear visual hierarchies on web pages is essential for supporting the customer buying and selling journey. The challenge lay not just in branding illustrative elements and designing new icons for the site experience, but also in creating a system that improves consistency and enhances the overall customer experience across both physical and digital touchpoints.
My role: Work closely with the product team, including UX and UI designers, the store team, and an illustrator to craft a seamless brand experience that ensures a smooth omnichannel journey. Focus on managing the system that boosts brand recognition while maintaining consistency across all touchpoints.
Approach: To establish clear visual hierarchies on our web pages, we developed a system that combines various graphic elements. The illustrative elements serve as a backdrop, adding depth to the storytelling and establishing the tone as a supporting character. Meanwhile, the photographic elements, primarily featuring car images, take center stage as the main character, enhancing the overall narrative.
