Training company React rebrands with a hidden sign

Consultancy Mytton Williams has designed the new look for the company, which aims to reflect the idea of “Transforming behaviours for positive change” through warm yellow colours, illustrated characters, encouraging adverbs and a hidden plus sign.

React is made up of an international group of actors, trainers and facilitators who use the techniques of drama to aid businesses in developing their skills in over 30 countries.

“We wanted to achieve something that was a little bit more edgy, but at the same time friendly and confident,” says Miles Cherry, chief executive of React. “The impact has been that it’s sent out a signal of renewed confidence within our company and our services.” 

Bob Mytton, partner and creative director at Mytton Williams says that the positive vibe of the design stems from the actors themselves. “When I met them, I thought they were a friendly bunch of people who really knew their craft,” he says. “I came away thinking that we needed to express their fun, creative energy.”

Gill Chantler illustrated the characters on the site, representing the people focus of the company, while copywriter Nick Asbury worked on creating positive phrases. “We wanted to develop a range of characters to bring the site to life,” Mytton says. “That’s what it’s all about – how the actors bring these groups of people together.”

The elusive plus sign is the key feature of the new design – created in the space between the ‘t’ in ‘React’ and the colon next to it. “At first, it was a sense of space representing change, flexibility and possibility,” says Mytton. “The little plus sign that came through was an extra little twist that we liked.”

Cherry says that the symbol is a subtle reminder of React’s ethos: “It embodies one of our values subliminally in the logo. We’re not drawing people’s attention to it, and people may or may not discover it. Our central team know it’s there, and it brings our value of positivity to the forefront of our minds.”