Arena Labs – Branding
Arena Strive is Healthcare’s First Performance Coach™ and brings a data-driven approach to help clinicians find presence and focus when it matters most, both in and out of the hospital.
Task
Arena Labs, a pioneering organization dedicated to enhancing human performance in high-stakes environments, launched Strive, a digital platform designed to help professionals optimize their mental and physical well-being. The challenge was to create a cohesive brand identity for Strive that would reflect its mission of performance optimization while maintaining synergy with Arena Labs' existing brand ethos.
Background
Arena Labs is at the forefront of high-performance training, helping professionals in high-stakes environments optimize their mental and physical resilience. As part of its digital transformation, Arena Labs introduced Strive—a mobile experience designed to provide users with actionable insights based on their health and performance data.
With Strive, Arena Labs sought to merge cutting-edge technology with a user-friendly interface, ensuring seamless interaction between users, their coaches, and performance insights. However, the initial product lacked a distinct identity that aligned with Arena Labs’ brand vision, making engagement and adoption challenging.
Problem Statement
Lack of a Cohesive Brand Identity – The UI did not reflect Arena Labs’ high-performance ethos, leading to inconsistent user perception.
Low User Engagement – Users struggled to navigate key features like the Arena Check-In (ACI), Toolkit, and Progress tracking, reducing overall adoption.
Ineffective Data Presentation – Insights on HRV, sleep, and performance were difficult to interpret, limiting their impact on user decision-making.
Objectives
Develop a Strong Brand Identity – Create a visual language that embodies performance, precision, and cutting-edge technology.
Enhance User Experience – Improve Strive’s core features, making them more intuitive and actionable.
Increase Engagement & Retention – Ensure users can easily access and apply insights from their performance data.
Methodolgy
To achieve these objectives, we followed a structured approach:
1. Brand Research & Strategy
Conducted stakeholder interviews to align on Arena Labs’ core values and brand direction.
Analyzed competitors and industry trends to differentiate Strive’s visual identity.
Developed a design system with typography, color schemes, and UI elements that evoke high performance and precision.
2. UX/UI Redesign
Conducted user research to identify friction points in navigation and data comprehension.
Redesigned the Arena Check-In (ACI) to provide a streamlined, engaging experience.
Overhauled the Toolkit, making tools and practices more discoverable and actionable.
Improved the Progress Tab, ensuring performance data is visually compelling and easy to interpret.
3. Usability Testing & Iteration
Ran usability tests with target users to validate new designs.
Iterated based on feedback, refining interactions, micro-animations, and data visualization.
Solution
- A Unified Brand Identity – A new design system with bold typography, dynamic gradients, and a structured layout, reinforcing Arena Labs’ high-performance ethos.
- Intuitive Navigation – A redesigned home screen (ACI), optimized to surface key insights at a glance.
- Enhanced Data Visualization – A revamped Progress tab, making HRV, sleep consistency, and recovery insights more actionable.
- Improved Engagement Tools – A more interactive Toolkit and seamless Chat interface to encourage ongoing user participation.
Results
30% increase in ACI check-in rates, indicating higher engagement.
User retention improved by 25%, as users found Strive more intuitive and valuable.
Stronger brand recognition, with users associating Strive with cutting-edge performance insights.
Long-Term Impact
Sustained Engagement Growth – With a strong foundation in place, future iterations can build upon user habits, increasing long-term adoption.
Scalability for New Features – The refined design system ensures Strive can seamlessly integrate future AI-driven insights and personalized coaching
Competitive Positioning – Strive now stands out in the high-performance training space, reinforcing Arena Labs’ leadership.
| Primary #003366 | ◯ | |
Blue
| Primary #00CC66 | ◯ | |
Green
| A11Y Color #FC642D | ◯ | |
| R 255 G 255 B 255 |
White
| A11Y Color #ED2323 | ||
| R 0 G 0 B 0 |
Black
Typeface
Inter
Usage
Headlines
Strive’s typeface is simple, bold, easy for everyone to read, and instantly recognizable.
Whenever Strive appears, it is inscribed in a simple, yet attractive font, which signifies the strong image of the brand. Simplicity makes the Strive app design more appealing and engaging.
Typeface
Inter
Usage
Headlines
Typeface
Montserrat
Usage
Headlines
- Invest time in understanding user needs through qualitative research.
- Prioritize technical feasibility early to align design with development capabilities.
- Use modular design systems to balance scalability with rapid iteration.
- Test iteratively with real users to ensure the final product meets their expectations.