The brief

Turtle needed a character that could express its approach to remote development: flexibility, autonomy and collaboration. That character also had to work across product, web and communications.

Developing Cody

I explored the character and its surroundings together, starting with sketches of different directions.

I worked toward a calm, playful world with references to technology and remoteness. This gave the character a setting that connected directly to the platform’s proposition.

Once a final design was chosen, I worked on refining and iterating the character’s details and animations to add depth and personality to the design.

We wanted a name that would resonate with our target audience of developers and tech professionals. “Cody” felt like the perfect fit. It’s a friendly, approachable name with a subtle nod to the world of coding.

The space setting translated “Work from anywhere” into a visual idea that could support a range of scenes and animations.

Brand implementation

I extended Cody into the website, product, articles and marketing materials, adapting the character to the needs of each format.

Website and product

Illustrations and animations carried the character from the homepage into the dashboard, connecting the public-facing identity with the product experience.

Using the same character and visual cues across these applications gave the identity continuity while leaving room for different messages.

Articles and presentations

I used Cody in illustrations explaining remote work and the platform’s benefits, extending the character from a brand asset into a way of communicating ideas.

Physical materials

Apparel and laptop stickers brought the character into physical applications, using the same recognizable forms as the digital work.

Delivered

A character and illustrated world developed into a working collection of digital and physical assets. The project shows how I take a concept through refinement and apply it consistently across a broad range of uses.