Emil 2.0 Visual Identity

I was approached by a client from ForestBit Electronics with a new product — Emil 2.0, a modular electrotechnical construction kit for schools (referencing Emil Kolben). The client was at a stage where they only had the first functional printed-circuit-board (PCB) prototype and needed to bring the product to market. The original brief was very modest: "I need a label designed for the box."

The original narrow brief: Designing a mere label for raw hardware wouldn't turn the product into an attractive, trustworthy aid for B2B sales to schools.

No visual face: The product had no logo, no defined typography, and no aesthetic direction.

A missing concept for the future: The client needed a system they could keep building on — from the circuit board itself through the packaging to a future e-shop and social media.

I didn't approach the commission just as a "label drawer" — I took it on conceptually and strategically:

Expanding the project scope: I convinced the client that instead of a one-off label they needed a flexible visual system.

Creating the brand identity: Designing a logotype, colors, and typography built on the heritage of electrical engineering.

Packaging design: Designing the product label and stylized CAD illustrations of the PCB itself.

Preparing to scale: Designing the system so it could immediately bend to prepare a website, brochures, or social media.

Understanding the product and research: Analyzing the physical PCB prototype and searching for an idea (connecting physics, alternating current, and the name Emil Kolben).

Conceptual logo design: Creating the iconic emil logotype, where the letter "m" comes directly from the curve of a sine wave (alternating current). Complemented with diagonal cuts to add dynamism and a technical feel.

Product CAD illustrations: Instead of an ordinary photo, I designed a clean line illustration of the circuit board in a CAD style that works as the main visual element.

Label and packaging design: Assembling the box-label layout using a grid and technical lines (the look of a technical drawing).

Demonstrating the reach: I prepared examples of how this identity would work on a website, in a product brochure, and on Instagram, so the client could see the overall potential.

The result is a complete, clean, monochromatic identity:

Logotype and symbolism: A brand connecting the symbolism of electrical engineering with modern design.

Functional packaging: A box label that, thanks to the technical lines and CAD illustration, immediately communicates what's inside.

Ready for digital and print: A visual language ready for immediate deployment on an e-shop (UI elements prepared), social media, and printed guides for pupils.

High added value in a short time: In a few hours of work, the client went from a mere wish for a "label" to the complete foundations of a brand.

Market readiness: From an idea and a single circuit board, a mature product emerged, ready to be presented to schools and investors.

Cost savings for the future: When building a website or marketing, the client won't have to design from scratch — they got a ready-made visual manual.

What the project taught me: It confirmed that a designer's greatest value lies in truly understanding the brief. Had I delivered just a label, the client would have been figuring out how to build a website a month later. The conceptual approach saved both sides time and money, and the project nicely shows my ability to think in a broader context (a brand system) even on a seemingly small brief.