Let’s be real. The IT industry is not exactly the most entertaining nor eye-catching field of work. It’s full of complicated jargon, endless acronyms, and the same five stock images of blue circuit boards on every website.
Which is why we decided to take a different approach. We left behind the ultra-nerdy corporate aesthetic that most MSPs seem to hold onto. Say hello to our little mascot!
If you haven’t figured it out already, he’s a smiley-faced green CRT monitor. Working closely with the rest of the marketing team and Director, our objective was to make HZ Empowerment Group something that is memorable and recognisable, whether you are tech-savvy or not. We want people to look at our mascot and say “hey, that’s the company that helps businesses with their technology.”
So why a CRT monitor of all things? A few reasons. He's nostalgic without being too old-school. He's a bit cheeky, a bit quirky, and he doesn't take himself too seriously (which is exactly the energy we want to bring to an industry that often takes itself very seriously). He also stands out. In a sea of sleek, modern, AI-generated tech branding, a chunky little CRT with a smile is the last thing you'd expect, and that's kind of the point.
As part of our brand awareness strategy, we partnered up with GoTransit to put our little guy on the back of some buses in Australia. We were lucky enough to catch some of them on a Monday afternoon in Sydney!
To go along with the cartoony style of our mascot, we settled on a hand-drawn “whiteboard” aesthetic for the rest of our branding. This was translated to our social media posts, business cards and upcoming merchandise.
But the whiteboard style isn’t just a design choice. It’s actually a nod to how we work with our clients. We don’t turn up with 40-slide presentations or pitches stuffed full of buzzwords. We sit down, sketch things out, and figure out what your business actually needs. It’s collaborative and a whole lot more human than your typical IT experience.
We also wanted the branding to feel approachable on every touchpoint. Whether you're scrolling LinkedIn or grabbing one of our business cards at a networking event, the vibe should be consistent. Friendly, honest, and a little bit playful. No intimidating tech-speak, no walls of corporate jargon, no pretending we're something we're not.
And really, that’s what our CRT guy is all about. The world of IT can feel pretty overwhelming, especially if tech isn’t your thing. A friendly face goes a long way in making it feel a bit less scary, because at the end of the day, your technology should be making your life easier, not harder.