Astro
30 years ago the web made its big debut. A boom from 100 websites to 100,000 in just a few years brought new ideas into the world and with it what felt like infinite possibility. But something changed. Slowly at first, then suddenly all at once—the web became bloated with Javascript. Astro is a framework that changes that. Using the same fundamentals of the early internet (HTML and CSS), Astro makes it easy for developers to build fast websites, faster. When Astro’s founding team first approached us with the project, the passion they had for their community immediately stood out—together, we set out to build a brand worthy of the incredible work they’re doing with Astro.
Our ROle
- Brand Positioning
- Visual Identity
- Verbal Identity
- Art Direction
- Copywriting
Team
- Danielle LaRoy
- Jessica Strelioff
- Stina Wahlen
Year
2022
BRAND positioning
The web is what we make it
As an open source project, Astro’s developer community is at the heart of who they are and what they’re building. In our interviews, we uncovered a common thread that became core to the brand—the web is what we make it. We defined a brand position that reflected this distinct sense of optimism and wonder about the web, empowering every developer to build the web they want.
Logo refresh
Making our mark
Nate Moore’s iconic Astro logo is well loved and well recognized within the Astro community, so we knew any changes should be subtle. In our evolution, we focused on fine tuning the original mark to make it easier to use in lockups with type, alongside partner logos, and at small scales. We paired our refined mark with an all-new word mark based on Astro’s new brand typeface, Obviously.
Visual IDENTITY
Welcome to the wild world wide web
Being a developer is a superpower. In a matter of keystrokes, they bring new ideas into the world that never could have been. Astro’s identity is a celebration of this idea and the universes at our fingertips. With a distinct nostalgia for the early days of the internet, we created a magical world wide web with etherial illustrations and colors at its core. An exposed grid offers a nod to process and the structure of the framework, while our variable typeface, Obviously by Oh No Type Co, balances it out with flexibility and fun.
“Working with Goodside on our brand evolution was one of the best decisions we’ve made as a company. Jessica and Danielle had a meticulously organized, thoughtful approach throughout the entire process. The end result was nothing short of spectacular and we’re incredibly proud of our new brand.
Verbal IDENTITY
A voice inspired by a vibrant community
We decided early on that Astro’s voice should feel like a natural complement to their widely-loved presence on Twitter and draw from the lively voices in its Discord. Time immersed in these community watering holes revealed something special—inside jokes where everyone’s on the inside, experts helping beginners, and a playful irreverence in pursuit of a better Astro for all. With this as inspiration, we developed a voice for Astro as approachable and inviting as the framework itself.
Brand Launch
Bringing Astro into the universe
The Astro community is no ordinary bunch. They’re passionate, they’re positive, and they pay attention to every last detail. So we did, too. We created a robust website that’s lightning fast, just like Astro, and designed and copywritten with the utmost care. We developed original concepts for swag and social media. And we introduced everyone to the new Astro with a dazzling brand trailer, animated by the talented Stina Wahlen.
