A family which has worked as undertakers for some 40 years has set itself a real challenge: revolutionising the market by creating an entirely online business which is more accessible, available and responsive and which provides a greater variety of services

Made for you was tasked with creating the visual identity and a website for this new brand.

After carrying out market analysis and defining the brand platform to structure the key messages to be conveyed, the team created a customised name, logo and website.

Un bold name

After several phases of work on the name and the various key messages to be conveyed, the name “Alterna” was decided on to emphasise the alternative nature of the service provided by these online undertakers in an ageing industry in which support for families is often provided in a traditional way and which has barely changed over the last ten years, despite society’s evolution in response to the digital transformation and our changing view of religion.

“Alterna” takes advantage of digital technology to offer new-generation funerals which reflect current expectations, quite unlike the service provided by traditional undertakers.
• More responsive (no need to travel, better availability)
• More affordable prices
• But better and more personalised services and products
• Human support at every stage despite the digital nature of the service
...To feel supported, to avoid the risk of making mistakes and for a smoother customer experience.

“Alterna” wants to revolutionise the funeral sector by improving the “customer experience” and by simplifying the difficult process of organising a funeral for people who are anticipating the future and for bereaved families who are in need of support.

Un soothing logo

The agency came up with a multi-layered logo to emphasise the various messages to be conveyed, beyond the company name. The starry sky evokes mourning in a “positive” way (stars are reassuring for bereaved families, symbolising how those who have passed away are watching over them) and is combined with shades of midnight blue and orange to create a feeling of light and a sense of hope.

The circle also evokes the comprehensive support (360°) which is provided and the serenity of feeling supported. The links at its heart form a stained-glass window (evoking the idea of a religious ceremony) or a sort of puzzle, highlighting the various complementary services which are available. These intertwined lines also evoke mutual help and connections and thus the digital world.

The chosen typography is understated (lower case and round = a sense of closeness), reassuring (serif = serious) and original (atypical shape of the letters = bold). A brand signature has also been added to this logo to explain these messages: “A serene funeral”.

A wide-ranging graphic world

Made for you capitalised on the symbolism of each element of the logo to create a lively, modular graphic charter. The characteristic line of the company’s name is therefore used to draw other shapes which create a background for printed media.

Stars are also used to add a touch of poetry to the visual identity and to structure and to highlight certain text and graphic elements. 

A pleasant website to use

The sleek, streamlined design of the site and the chosen colours are visually soothing. As in the logo, the circular shapes have a gentle feel and emphasise a real sense of support. The chosen photographs aim to humanise the digital service provided by experienced advisers who support families at every step of the process and with every choice they make.

The photos aren’t sad or anxiety-provoking (they don’t make any direct reference to death or funerals); instead, they subtly evoke families who support each other (the child’s hand on his father’s shoulder, for example) and who are photographed from behind to emphasise respect for confidentiality and privacy.

Inspired by the logo, the site’s guiding principle helps visitors to browse the site in the right order, encouraging them to focus on the right information and to click on the “call to action” buttons, which are also highlighted with a star. In more symbolic terms, this illustrates “connection” in every sense of the word: human, spiritual and digital.