Mitch Stuart

ART DIRECTION | UI & UX | WEBSITE DESIGN

Mitch-Stuart is a B2B business specializing in risk-free travel for Nonprofits and Business sectors. With over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit fundraising and business industry, Stuart Paskow, and Michelle Cohen, founded Mitch-Stuart to create a site to make travel packages accessible for nonprofit and business auctions.

Project Brief

Mitch-Stuart's website needed a major facelift that was built 20+ years ago. They needed a design that reflected who they are as a company today and to make their website more accessible to a broader B2B client base.

In partnering with New Theory, as the art director and designer, I worked with their team to help envision a new brand presence for their website.

Design Research

Before designing, New Theory met with Mitch-Stuart's marketing team to gather data on what they wanted. Mitch-Stuart worked with another agency that had built a generic-looking Squarespace site, leaving them uninspired.

Already in the middle of the process with their brand refresh, we began working with them without knowing what their logo or brand colors would turn out like.

In gathering inspiration for the website, we looked at Airbnb, EF Go Ahead Tours, Winspire, and Dribbble.

Research & Wireframing

When building the wireframe for Mitch-Stuart, we needed to consolidate, simplify and rework their content so the user experience flowed. Their competitor, Winspire's site, was more direct and concise, so we knew he wanted to go in that direction.

The major complaint from their customers was that the site was challenging to navigate, and it was hard to see the photos from their travel packages. The solution to the design was to reduce the content by 50% and lead with captivating imagery that would keep users engaged.

OLD DESIGN
The major complaint from their customers was that the site was challenging to navigate, and it was hard to see the photos from their travel packages. The solution to the design was to reduce the content by 50% and lead with captivating imagery that would keep users engaged.

WIREFRAMES
When working through the wireframe functionality, we identified which sitemap pages we needed to include: the homepage, about, get started, how we work, package overview, and travel experience page.

Photo
Inspiration

Initial Concept

After two rounds with the wireframe functionality, I worked through 3 options to present to the client. While designing these pages, we didn't have the new brand identity yet; so we used this time to push the designs and explore several options before locking down the final design.

OPTION 1

OPTION 2

OPTION 3

Responsive Site

After wrapping up the initial concept, we received the new brand identity and typeface from Mitch-Stuart's marketing team. Although we loved option 1, it didn't work with the new brand, so we pivoted and created a design that included more whitespace so that the logo could shine. To create texture and meaning, we integrated new shapes and patterns throughout the site that resembled a passport stamp.

In conclusion, Mitch-Stuart's new site design is aligned with their unique vision for their company's future. The site development is still in progress; to view the interactive prototype, please see the mobile and desktop designs below.