Xiclo: how to build a leading brand and manage it continuously.
Keywords:
Branding, Web design, Brand Management, UX / UI.
- Communication Strategy
- Brand Guidelines
- Photography and Film
- Web Design and Development
- UX/UI App
Visit Xiclo's website to see the brand in action.
Starting point
- Xiclo is a circular economy technological ecosystem that redefines large-scale packaging reuse through traceability.
- From its inception, we at Epigrama took on the role of strategic allies to structure their brand design, product development, and communication strategy. With Xiclo, everything had to be built from scratch; strategic design was the key to materializing a business vision that constantly reinvents itself and adapts to market challenges.
Challenge / Opportunity
- The main challenge consisted of creating an approachable, educational language to explain a disruptive business model based on circular economy and traceability technology. This presented an opportunity to co-create an intuitive and engaging experience capable of generating trust in the corporate market while simultaneously connecting with the users of our technology.
- Beyond designing an isolated visual identity, the real challenge lay in structuring an end-to-end design ecosystem where software, mobile applications, and the communication strategy would support the adoption of an intelligent and innovative consumption system.
What We Did
We supported the birth and evolution of Xiclo through the development of a comprehensive, scalable design system:
- Strategic Branding & Identity: We co-created the brand's DNA, defining its core purpose, archetype, values, aesthetics, and a message architecture in an educational tone through deep co-creation workshops.
- On-Site Graphic Device Design: We designed visual elements and instructions to guide user behavior at physical drop-off and return points.
- Digital Ecosystem Design (UX/UI): We structured the user experience and interface for both the mobile application and the backend traceability logistics software.
- B2B Commercial Assets & Co-Branding: We developed sales tools that served as financial leverage, along with visual guidelines to allow harmonious coexistence with allied brands.
- Web Architecture & Optimization: We designed an official website focused on corporate procurement, conversion optimization, and ongoing management (Brand Management).
1. Strategic Branding and Message Architecture for Disruptive Models
The true challenge of branding for an environmental-impact tech startup is not aesthetics, but pedagogy. Alongside the Xiclo team, we developed a strategic branding exercise focused on translating a complex concept (circular economy based on traceability) into a digestible, compelling value proposition for both everyday consumers and the corporate market.
Through deep immersion and brand workshops, we designed a message architecture and a communication tone that stripped away unnecessary technical jargon, replacing it with stimulating, clear, and practical language. This strategic framework defined how the brand should present itself to the world, transforming "sustainability" from an abstract concept into a measurable competitive advantage, laying the conceptual foundation for all visual, digital, and commercial applications across the ecosystem.
2. Information Design and Incentives for Human Behavior
Once the strategy was cemented, we understood that physical design had to modify real consumption habits. We developed a visual identity that balances technological reliability with environmental closeness, translating it into graphic devices and editorial pieces installed at real collection points. Through simple copy and clean iconography, we turned the act of returning a container into a playful, rewarding experience, educating consumers on-site with clear, direct instructions that eliminated all operational friction.
Visit Xiclo's website to see the brand in action.
3. UX/UI for Complex Logistics Infrastructures
The core of the digital challenge consisted of transforming data complexity into interactive simplicity. When designing Xiclo’s software and mobile app, Epigrama’s UX/UI team decoded traceability flows and the business's logistical framework to translate them into clean interfaces. We ensured that sophisticated processes—such as container scanning and material life-cycle tracking—felt completely natural to the user, accelerating technological adoption of the service and reducing operational friction.
4. Strategic Design as Financial Leverage
Great design does not just attract users; it validates business models before investors. The user manuals, visual tools, and sales materials we developed equipped Xiclo's commercial team with impeccable institutional rigor. These assets not only facilitated corporate sales within the Colombian business environment but also functioned as the necessary technical and aesthetic foundation to apply for international cooperation funds, securing key resources for the company's growth.
5. Flexible Co-Branding and Web Conversion Architecture
For the returnability model to be viable, Xiclo needed to enter already established commercial spaces without visually competing with them. We designed co-branding guidelines that allowed the brand to coexist harmoniously with high-profile allies such as Juan Valdez or Grupo Takami, boosting Xiclo's identity without overshadowing the point of sale.
We brought this same logic of mutual benefit to the website. We structured the digital channel under an information architecture tailored to corporate decision-makers, highlighting innovations like the Plug-&-Play Software, the Digital Passport (GS1 standards), and friction-free Tap-and-reusetechnology, optimizing lead capture through dynamic calls to action.
6. Ongoing Management and Brand Guardianship (Brand Management)
Tech-based brands are living organisms that evolve alongside the market. Throughout our ongoing alliance, Epigrama has operated as Xiclo’s extended design and communication team. This long-term immersion has allowed us to iterate, refine, and expand visual proposals and interfaces as the business model matures, ensuring the graphic ecosystem maintains its consistency and competitiveness under the quality promise: “powered by Xiclo”.
Results Achieved
Global Leadership & Brand Positioning: Xiclo has consolidated its presence in the Latin American and global markets as an undisputed leader in circular economies and a benchmark for its style and communication approach. Qualitative analysis shows that Xiclo is a beloved and protected brand among its network of allies and clients, with a unique capability to build networks and even support circular public policies.
High-Performance Digital Metrics: The interactive ecosystem designed by our team vastly exceeded industry standards. Continuous user testing yielded outstanding usability scores, achieving a UX score of 4.4/5 and a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 96%, validating the technology's effectiveness and organic adoption.
Expansion of the Conscious Ecosystem: The strategic alliance with Xiclo has enabled Epigrama Studios to weave a strong, lasting network with other sustainable and conscious brands. Iconic Xiclo clients like Aweh, as well as allied organizations such as Resolve, have found in Epigrama the ideal partner to strengthen their identity, expand their visual universe, and structure their global discursive strategy.
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