Duet
In the intricate world of estate and financial planing, setting up a trust stands out as one of the most daunting tasks. It's a process that demands both precision and empathy: navigating legal intricacies as well as the emotional weight of encapsulating one’s final wishes into a single document.
DIY online legal docs treat people as one-size-fits-all. And hiring an estate planning professional is a time and resource intensive process that is already a barrier to entry for many.
Duet envisions a middle ground: a new pathway for trust creation empowers trustors and trustees with clarity on their legacy and the know-how to get it done right. This all new platform embraces the scalability and seamlessness of a digital offering, while maintaining a bespoke feel with human-to-human touch-points.
Research & Discovery
Brand Strategy
Brand Naming
Brand Identity System
Illustration
Website Design
Digital Development
Transforming overwhelm into empowerment
At the heart of Duet's brand strategy was a powerful narrative: reimagining trust creation and management as a harmonious blend of cutting-edge technology and personalized care. We recognized that estate planning transcends mere logistical considerations. It's a deeply emotional endeavor, often undertaken during times of change that can render individuals both emotionally and financially vulnerable.
This understanding shaped our approach, guiding us to position Duet as a beacon of empowerment, transforming fear into clarity and confidence. This is a moment for Duet to lead the charge, championing trust planning as an act of self-care and as a reflection of one’s values and aspirations.
In essence, Duet is not just about drafting trust plans, but about crafting legacies that stand the test of time.
Choose your lasting voice
We soon realized the previous brand name for this platform didn’t quite match the elevated vision that the brand strategy set forth. In our brand naming program, we generated hundreds of names, shortlisted 40, and landed on one that that embodied the brand’s spirit to “choose your lasting voice.”
The name Duet is a nod to the product’s reverence for the partnership between trustor and trustee, each with their own moment to make an impact.
Create with consideration
The brand identity plays on this sense of a dynamic duo, with a wordmark that elegantly marries two type styles. The icon was particularly fun to develop, with a clever “d” mark that simultaneously symbolizes partnership, legal formality, and elegant musicality.
The color palette and photography style emphasize warm, inviting tones—airy, sun-drenched, peaceful.
The illustration style is hand-drawn. It is detailed and deceptively meticulous, yet not overly serious. There is a human touch, very intentional in its sketchy quality that gives an almost storybook feel.
Uplifting each legacy
For Duet’s debut digital experience, we focused on a 5-page website that welcomed newcomers to the brand and invited them to sign up for Duet’s MVP beta. Intentionally minimal in pages, the site embodies the brand’s emphasis on being thoughtful and considerate—a beautiful experience that’s not too much, not too little.
Built with Sanity CMS, this fully custom design includes modular formats so the website can seamlessly grow with the brand.
As of September 2023, Duet has launched its website and beta program, open to individuals and families in the state of California.
We were thrilled to work with Together on Duet’s branding. What began as a rough idea quickly transformed into a fully developed brand and beta program within just a few short months.
Constance Liu / Founder & CEO
Let’s work together.