Overview
In preparation for the return of employees to the Overstock campus, I was tasked with revamping the building’s interior and exterior design to serve as a physical representation of our vibrant company culture. The project’s goal was to integrate the key elements of the “We Are Overstock” document into the environment, ensuring that both employees and visitors felt immersed in our values. I designed a combination of outdoor light post banners, vinyl murals, digital ads, and wall art to make the company’s core values a constant presence throughout the workspace.
The Challenge
- Creating Cultural Immersion: As employees returned to the office, the challenge was to transform the physical campus into a space that felt aligned with Overstock’s core values, creating a sense of belonging and purpose.
- Sustaining Employee Engagement: The elements had to serve as daily reminders of the company’s culture and mission, reinforcing the “We Are Overstock” sentiment throughout the workday.
- Designing for Both Indoor and Outdoor Spaces: The designs needed to be adaptable to both outdoor signage (to create an impactful first impression) and indoor murals and digital ads (to seamlessly fit into the daily flow of the office environment).
My Role
As the lead designer, I was responsible for:
✅ Translating the “We Are Overstock” culture into visual elements that could be applied across the campus.
✅ Designing outdoor signage, including light post banners and sandwich boards, to welcome employees and reinforce our brand identity.
✅ Creating large vinyl murals inside the building that reminded employees of Overstock’s culture, while integrating digital ads into the daily announcements loop.
✅ Designing wall art for conference rooms that reflected the company’s values, further embedding the culture in daily business operations.
Approach & Solution
1. Outdoor Signage: Welcoming Employees Back
- Strategy: To create a sense of arrival and excitement for employees returning to the office, I designed light post banners and sandwich boards featuring key phrases from the “We Are Overstock” document. These outdoor elements were strategically placed around the campus, ensuring that the branding was visible from multiple vantage points.
- Outcome: The outdoor signage not only welcomed employees back to the campus but also set the tone for the work environment, helping to reinforce the cultural values before even stepping inside the building.
2. Indoor Murals: Immersing Employees in Culture
- Strategy: To provide a continuous reminder of Overstock’s culture inside the building, I created large vinyl murals that were placed in high-traffic areas like hallways and lobbies. These murals featured motivational quotes, company values, and imagery that encapsulated our culture. I also worked on digital ads that ran as part of the daily announcement loop on TVs throughout the building.
- Outcome: The vinyl murals and digital ads served as constant visual reminders, creating an environment that felt connected to the company’s core values and inspired employees as they moved through the building.
3. Conference Room Wall Art: Strengthening the Culture
- Strategy: To reinforce the “We Are Overstock” message in more intimate settings, I designed wall art for conference rooms. Each piece was tailored to fit the theme of the room and aligned with Overstock’s cultural principles. These pieces incorporated both textual elements and visual design that emphasized our collaborative, innovative, and customer-first mentality.
- Outcome: The wall art in conference rooms created a more personalized connection to Overstock’s culture, helping employees feel aligned with the company’s values during collaborative and strategic meetings.
Results & Impact
✅ Stronger Cultural Alignment: The integration of the “We Are Overstock” culture into physical spaces helped employees reconnect with the company’s mission and values.
✅ Enhanced Work Environment: The visual elements created a workspace that was not only aesthetically engaging but also emotionally resonant, reinforcing Overstock’s commitment to its people and mission.
✅ Employee Engagement: With constant visual reminders, employees felt more connected to Overstock’s core values, fostering a sense of belonging and reinforcing the company’s culture throughout the workday.
✅ Seamless Branding: The design of both outdoor and indoor elements was unified, ensuring a cohesive brand identity across all areas of the campus, from the exterior to the interior spaces.
Key Takeaways
✔ The outdoor signage set the tone for employees’ return to the office, immediately reinforcing the company culture.
✔ Large vinyl murals and digital ads inside the building served as constant reminders of the company’s core values and mission.
✔ The wall art in conference rooms helped bring the “We Are Overstock” culture into more intimate settings, allowing employees to feel aligned with the company during meetings.
✔ The integration of culture-based design into the campus helped create an office environment that was not only visually appealing but also aligned with Overstock’s mission-driven culture.
