Norton Lilly
Honoring the traditions
Norton Lilly stands as a monumental figure in the maritime industry, boasting a legacy that spans nearly two centuries. As a premier provider of shipping agency services, the company has solidified its position as a cornerstone of global maritime operations. Norton Lilly offers an extensive suite of services, including vessel operations, logistics solutions, and port agency services, catering to a diverse clientele across the world’s busiest ports.
Renowned for its unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation, Norton Lilly has earned an impeccable reputation. The company’s stature is reflected in its ability to seamlessly blend time-honored traditions with cutting-edge practices, ensuring unparalleled service delivery. Its profound expertise, coupled with a vast network of industry connections, enables Norton Lilly to navigate the complexities of global trade with finesse and reliability.
Given Norton Lilly’s monumental legacy and esteemed position in the maritime industry, the company recognized the need to modernize its brand identity and digital presence to reflect its ongoing commitment to excellence and innovation. Despite nearly two centuries of unparalleled service and profound expertise, Norton Lilly sought to ensure that its brand and website effectively communicated its ability to seamlessly blend time-honored traditions with cutting-edge practices. The brand overhaul and web design were essential to distill 180 years of experience, brand recognition, and history into a modern, user-centric platform. This transformation not only honors Norton Lilly’s storied past but also positions the company as a forward-thinking leader, inspiring confidence and trust in an ever-evolving global maritime landscape.
Client Goals
Modernize brand identity
Update visual aesthetics
Reflect maritime heritage
Enhance user experience
Improve website usability
Honor historical legacy
Increase brand recognition
Optimize content delivery
Engage contemporary audience
Strengthen digital presence
Revitalize the Brand Identity
OWDT embarked on a transformative journey to revitalize the brand identity of Norton Lilly, propelling it into the modern era while honoring its rich heritage. Central to this overhaul was the selection of Brandon Grotesque, a modern serif font renowned for its blend of geometric precision and humanistic warmth. This typeface family exudes a timeless elegance with clean lines and a contemporary flair, making it an exceptional choice for the wordmark. Its versatility and readability enhance brand recognition and ensure that the wordmark stands out with a balanced and harmonious appearance.
In refining the brand’s visual elements, we developed a new lockup that achieves optimal balance and legibility. This meticulous adjustment enhances the overall aesthetics, making the brand more recognizable and impactful across all mediums.
To further elevate the brand’s typographic hierarchy, we updated the type family to include Charter for titles. Charter is a distinguished serif typeface celebrated for its clarity and classic proportions. Its strong presence and legibility at various sizes make it ideal for headlines and titles, conveying a sense of tradition and reliability—qualities that resonate deeply with Norton Lilly’s esteemed reputation.
Complementing these primary typefaces, we integrated Arial as a secondary paired font for supporting body paragraphs. Arial is a universally recognized sans-serif typeface known for its simplicity and exceptional readability across both print and digital platforms. Its neutral design allows for seamless integration with other typefaces, ensuring that extended texts are easily digestible without detracting from the overall design aesthetic.
OWDT then crafted a website design inspired by nautical motifs, drawing from the rich visual language of maritime maps, ship helms, and the nuanced hues of the sea—from weathered nautical colors to deep coral tones. This thematic approach not only pays homage to Norton Lilly’s maritime roots but also creates an immersive user experience that is both modern and evocative.
Challenges
The paramount challenge lay in distilling 180 years of experience, brand recognition, and history into a modern, user-centric website. It was imperative to honor the company’s storied past while presenting it through a contemporary lens. To achieve this, content was meticulously optimized to highlight key narratives and achievements. The design was rejuvenated to effectively utilize space and color, guiding the user’s attention and fostering an engaging dialogue between the brand and its audience. This strategic approach ensured that the website serves as a bridge between Norton Lilly’s illustrious history and its forward-looking vision.
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