The course is clear.

Bates White, a leading economic consulting firm, has built a strong reputation over 25 years. However, their existing website didn’t effectively convey the firm’s personality, tone, or values, leaving their story incomplete. The goal was to transform their digital presence to better reflect the quality of their work and evolve the brand’s visual foundation. Enter “The Course is Clear” —a concept designed to showcase their expertise in simplifying complex challenges. This idea not only shaped their new website but also established the foundation of a refreshed visual identity that could extend across all communications. The course is clear, indeed.

A refined identity.

Guided by the goal of creating an online presence that reflects Bates White’s identity, we designed a visual system that balances professionalism with a human touch. The focus was on building an experience that felt approachable and highlighted the people behind the mission, avoiding anything cold or impersonal. While the logo itself remained unchanged, we developed a supporting visual identity system that introduced new elements and strong, recognizable shapes. A refined color palette and design accents were also incorporated to elevate key actions and enhance usability, ensuring the brand feels both confident and inviting.

Overall website traffic and engagement has improved since the launch and both internal employees and clients have been highly complimentary of the updates.

Erin Pearson, VP Marketing, Bates White

A bold new website built to be simple.

The new website sets a bold standard for digital clarity and ease. Every element was engineered to minimize friction—reducing the number of clicks required and ensuring users land where they need to be, fast. Clean layouts, logical navigation, and prominent calls to action direct visitors swiftly from high-level firm overviews to detailed practice area information, professional bios, news, and insights. The site structure sheds unnecessary clutter, focusing visitors’ attention and encouraging exploration without overwhelm. Each section is purposefully designed for ease of access, whether clients are searching for expertise, industry recognition, or direct contact with firm leaders.

And a host of brand tools to support it all.

Inspired by our goal to create an online presence that truly reflects Bates White’s unique personality and values, we delivered a suite of practical tools for daily communications—expanded color systems for data visualization, updated pitch decks, and scalable social media templates in Canva. These resources ensure their exceptional quality of work is unmistakably clear at every touchpoint, creating a cohesive, engaging brand experience throughout every platform and interaction.

Ready to evolve?

If you’re ready to transform your established brand with a fresh, digital-first approach, Contrast is here to help. Let’s work together to create a bold, cohesive presence that highlights your strengths and drives meaningful connections in the digital world.