From foundations as Graphic Designer to elevating the brand as the Creative Manager, this is a case study on my impact at Simple Solar

Simple Solar is a dynamic company selling residential solar solutions to homeowners, primarily via door-to-door sales. With a dual challenge of constantly recruiting sales representatives due to the high turnover and selling solar solutions, the brand required a creative touch that catered to both its sales representatives and homeowners. After rebranding and taking over all visual content creation as Creative Manager, Simple was recognized by the Inc. 5000 as the 44th fastest growing private company in the nation.


FEATURED PROJECTS

Rebranding
Simple Website
Customer Facing Social Media
Solar Education Series
Recruitment Social Media
Merch Design and eCommerce Shop
Vehicle Fleet Design
Simple University

Rebranding

As the company sought to refresh its image and resonate more effectively with homeowners and recruits, a comprehensive rebranding exercise was undertaken. The logo, typography, and color palette were revamped to ensure consistency, modernity, and a clear brand identity. By setting rules for brand use, Simple Solar's visual representation across platforms became instantly recognizable, reinforcing its brand presence in the competitive market.

Crafting the brand identity for Simple Solar was a unique challenge I embraced: striking a chord with both mature homeowners and the vibrant Gen Z recruits. I found the sweet spot by selecting wide typefaces, embodying modernity and trendiness, yet ensuring they remained minimalistic and approachable, seamlessly bridging the generational divide.

People call us the Nike of Solar, you completely transformed the brand.


- Moe Falah, Founder, former CEO, and Chief Revenue Officer at Simple Solar

Simple Website

Recognizing the need for a rejuvenated online presence, I reshaped Simple Solar's website from the ground up. Every visual touchpoint — from the banners and photos to the in-depth Solar Education Series videos under "Get Answers" — was crafted by myself. I incorporated hand-drawn icons, tailored color gradients, and a compelling blog space that offers insight into solar intricacies. Further enhancing the brand's recruitment thrust, I meticulously designed a careers page filled with inviting typography and videos. While I took charge of the frontend UI design and visuals, the invaluable UX contributions of Cameron Garcia, our Senior Logistics and Marketing Engineer, were pivotal. His backend wizardry ensured that the site was as functional as it was aesthetically pleasing.

Since launching the new site, we've seen a surge in traffic, averaging over 1,000 new visitors every month. That's an increase of over 800%


- Cameron Garcia, Senior Logistics and Marketing Engineer at Simple Solar

Customer Facing Social Media

Elevating Simple Solar's digital presence was a strategic marketing endeavor that required a blend of artistry, innovation, and forward-thinking, the latter being my contribution to devising unique content concepts like memes and user-generated content. My expertise with Photoshop and Illustrator laid the foundation, crafting compelling visual content that served as a powerful marketing tool. This was complemented by my personal photography, offering an authentic snapshot into the Simple Solar experience. Custom typography and hand-drawn illustrations infused our brand with a unique voice and warmth, while meticulous sound design enriched our video content. Among these traditional crafts, I seamlessly integrated modern tech: harnessing AI language models to optimize our captions and using image generators to enhance visuals. This harmonious blend not only set Simple Solar's social media apart but also led to a noticeable uptick in engagement and follower growth, marking a successful marketing outcome.

Solar Education Series

Our team wanted to bridge the gap between technical jargon and homeowner understanding; an educational video series was conceptualized. I took the reins of this project, creating a detailed budget proposal and selecting a studio in Tampa for the shoot. Coordinating closely with our sales representatives for content accuracy, I managed the entire filming process.Post-shooting, I edited the footage, integrating motion graphics and adding subtitles, thereby repurposing them into engaging Instagram reels. These videos not only became a highlight of our website's homepage, enlightening visitors about the benefits of solar, but also significantly boosted our social media engagement. As a result, we successfully positioned ourselves as a trusted and transparent solar solutions provider. Lastly, I was also able to utilize this content in Simple University in the Sun Scholar series designed to educate new recruits on the basics of solar.

Recruitment Social Media

Given the high turnover in sales reps, a robust recruitment strategy was vital. Social media provided an opportunity to reach potential recruits in a relatable and engaging manner. With a blend of on-trend design aesthetics, memes, testimonials, and showcasing the company culture, the internal recruitment-focused account saw increased engagement, drawing in new potential reps and maintaining the interest of current ones.

Merch Design and eCommerce Shop

Brand visibility and engagement were sought beyond traditional mediums, with merchandise emerging as a strategic touchpoint for both employees and homeowners. From streetwear graphic tees and hats to practical water bottles and door-to-door ready polo shirts, the merchandise not only boosted brand presence but also became a symbol of pride and a source of profit, reflecting the effective design and market appeal of the products. My extensive background in apparel design and production was extremely helpful with this endeavor.  Employees and homeowners alike embraced the merchandise, while an accompanying e-commerce shop streamlined the purchase process, further solidifying the brand's holistic approach.

What sets Pete apart is the wealth of insights he brings to the table, which can only be gained through years of industry experience.

- Ausra Concanon, Office Manager at Simple Solar

Vehicle Fleet Design

When we signed our first warehouse in Miami, I collaborated closely with upper management to conceive impactful designs for our first Simple Fleet of cars, cargo vans, and trucks. The process was meticulous: coordinating with the Simple Warehouse in Miami, I gathered specific vehicle details. From there, liaising with the vehicle wrapping merchant was crucial, ensuring our designs were not just approved, but optimized to maximize visibility and convey our dual message—inviting homeowners to our services and encouraging potential recruits to join the Simple team. Our fleet not only echoed the company's core values but became moving billboards that significantly amplified brand presence across regions.

Simple University

In response to high turnover rates and the need to provide recruits with in-depth knowledge, I ventured into creating "Simple University" on Kajabi. Diving headfirst, I self-trained on the intricacies of the platform, leveraging its potential for gamification to captivate our recruits. A significant portion of the video content was shot and edited by me, ensuring authenticity and alignment with our brand's voice.

With the assistance of advanced AI language models, I meticulously analyzed transcripts to mold content into digestible formats. These models were further instrumental in creating tests and quizzes, ensuring that the knowledge imparted was effectively retained.

The platform featured "Appointment Setter Pro", a focused module on the art of selling solar solutions door-to-door. "Simple Spotlight" highlighted wisdom from guest speakers on a myriad of subjects, while "Sun Scholars" provided a foundational education on solar energy for new employees across all company divisions.

In essence, Simple University was not just a training portal—it was a well-orchestrated symphony of traditional learning methods and cutting-edge AI techniques, culminating in an immersive educational experience I'm truly proud of.

Colleague Testimonials

Working alongside Pete Bradford has been an absolute pleasure. I enjoyed collaborating on an extensive list of projects, with no project being too big or complex. His depth of knowledge in the graphic design and marketing realm translated to results admired by everyone, both our company and our customers. Pete's keen eye for design and his ability to translate concepts into visually stunning creations had been immensely helpful. From crafting eye-catching social media graphics to producing engaging videos, product design and contributing to our company's clothing production, Pete consistently delivered exceptional work. What sets him apart is the wealth of insights he brings to the table, which can only be gained through years of industry experience. Beyond his professional expertise, Pete's warm and friendly personality, as well as his open-minded approach and enthusiasm added an extra layer of value to the team.

- Ausra Concanon, Office Manager at Simple Solar

Working with Pete Bradford has been an enlightening and rewarding experience. Our collaboration spanned multiple projects, including website design, clothing design, graphic design, system integration, and many others. Pete's work speaks for itself, his versatility and expertise helped led the rebranding efforts and also helped reimagined the company's digital presence, from the website to social media. His ability to blend traditional design elements with cutting-edge street design and graphics as well as utilizing AI language models sets him apart in the industry. Pete's work ethic is unparalleled; he is committed, innovative, and always eager to take on new challenges. His contributions were pivotal in the success of our joint venture, where his design sensibilities and technical skills were invaluable to our team. I wholeheartedly recommend Pete for any creative or technical endeavor; his work speaks volumes about his capabilities and character.

- Cameron Garcia, Senior Logistics and Marketing Engineer at Simple Solar

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