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Smoot

SCOPE

Brand Alignment

Editorial Systems

Video Production

Communications

INFO

2017 — 2020

smootbuilds.com

ROLE

Using Brand Governance and Editorial Design to Strengthen Bid Competitiveness for a National Construction Firm

Overview

Smoot Construction is a minority-owned, multi-regional construction firm founded in the 1940s, with a track record of delivering projects of national significance including the U.S. Capitol, the National Air & Space Museum, the MLK Jr. Library, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Despite an exceptional project history and strong operational performance, Smoot often struggled to win larger bids as a lead developer. The issue was not capability — it was perception. Brand inconsistency across proposals, communications, and public materials undermined the company’s credibility in competitive bid environments.
I worked directly with Smoot’s Director of Development to align the company’s brand across offices, establish governance over visual communications, and transform bid materials into a strategic asset.

THE organizational CHALLENGE

Smoot’s long history and decentralized habits created a fragmented brand presence:
• Employees used outdated logos and color variations
• Proposal documents lacked visual hierarchy and consistency
• Social media and public communications had no cohesive strategy
• Attempts to distribute brand guidelines failed due to lack of adherence
The core issue was not design quality — it was lack of brand governance.
To be effective, the solution required controlling how brand materials were created and distributed across the organization.

Establishing Brand Alignment & Governance

Working with leadership, we limited ownership of all internal and external brand materials to a small approval group to ensure consistent use of updated logos, typography, photography, and layout standards.
This shift from “guidelines” to governance enabled meaningful, lasting change.
OverviewBrand AlignmentSocial & Video
Outcome

Brand Alignment

Editorial System for Bid Proposals

The most impactful change came from redesigning Smoot’s bid proposal templates using:
• Grid-based editorial layouts for clarity and structure
• Strong typographic hierarchy and color usage
• Redesigned charts and diagrams for organizational clarity and visual alignment
• Consistent photography treatment and document styling
These improvements elevated proposals from dense technical documents into polished, credible presentations aligned with the scale of the projects Smoot was pursuing.

COMMUNICATIONS DURING COVID-19

As an essential business during the pandemic, Smoot needed to rapidly communicate changing safety protocols to employees and partners.
I created internal and external messaging materials using the same design system established for proposals, reinforcing brand consistency while supporting safety communication.
OverviewBrand AlignmentSocial & Video
Outcome

Social Media Content & Video

To further modernize Smoot’s public image, I worked with leadership to produce:
• Social media content highlighting company culture, promotions, and milestones
• Safety and operational content
• Staff profiles, construction updates, and safety guidelines videos
This helped present Smoot not only as a capable builder, but as a modern, people-centered organization.
OverviewBrand AlignmentSocial & Video
Outcome

Outcome

With proposals redesigned and brand communications aligned, Smoot was able to present itself with the level of polish expected by modern public and private sector stakeholders.
This renewed brand presence supported Smoot’s expansion into the Northeast, including entry into the Boston market, and strengthened its positioning in competitive bid environments.

WHY THIS PROJECT MATTERS

This project demonstrates how design can solve organizational problems, not just visual ones.
By introducing brand governance and editorial systems, I helped transform how Smoot presented itself in high-stakes bid situations, turning design into a strategic advantage for new business acquisition.
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