R² Factory has spun out of R² Data Labs, the advanced data analytics arm of Rolls-Royce. While it is a new venture, it has three decades of institutional memory in unlocking hard-to-access data, working with complex systems and legacy infrastructure and building data-driven innovations for the most demanding industrial environments.

First established as in-house consultants at Rolls-Royce, R² Factory now has offices in the UK and US, working with major global corporations through a membership programme. As a growing company, R² Factory wanted a new brand identity that would distinguish it from its parent company, but at the same time remain credible as a member of the Rolls-Royce family. 

Pentagram created a new brand strategy, tone of voice and visual identity for R² Factory. The tone of voice is optimistic, bold and conversational, with an emphasis on solutions rather than challenges. It reflects the two contrasting worlds R² Factory inhabits—the corporate, highly regulated world of business and the creative problem-solvers who make up the team.

At the centre of the new identity, the typographic R² Factory logo appears only in black or white, with the elevated numeral ‘²’ emphasising the pronunciation ‘R Squared Factory’. RR Pioneer (the custom typeface commissioned by Pentagram from Colophon Foundry) is used as the brand typeface across all applications, giving a subtle visual link to R² Factory’s parent company.

Colour plays a key role in the new visual identity, reflecting R² Factory’s brand personality. The design team created a diverse and energetic palette with vibrant jewel-like colours that also feature as backgrounds for team portraits, which always appear in square format. 

In contrast to the more stylised portraiture photography, images using a natural, reportage style give a glimpse into the day-to-day life at R² Factory and provide insight into its working practices. These feature large and small group interactions and collaborations, showing how collaboration is key to the company’s offer. A bank of imagery showcasing R² Factory’s beautiful members’ club in London helps to give visual context and environments to the photographic library.

Finally, in addition to the other imagery, the design team compiled a series of more abstract shots that can be used to convey the more technical and data-driven approach to R² Factory’s work. This photography is always used in black and white to create a visual distinction from the other imagery.

As part of the core brand assets, Pentagram’s design team also created a suite of iconography that takes the identity’s modular, visual approach. The icons help to create a consistent design language which can aid accessibility and inclusivity. Like the design system, the icons have been created on a modular square grid. While primarily used as part of the wayfinding system, they can also be incorporated into other applications such as presentations or reports.

Pentagram has created an identity which is designed to work seamlessly across all of R² Factory’s on- and off-line communications, while perfectly encapsulating R² Factory’s forward-thinking approach to helping its customers build a successful and sustainable, data-driven business.