Ever found yourself wondering what it would be like to achieve a pure state of higher knowledge? Well, that’s exactly what Big Nerd Ranch is offering their students and clients– the opportunity to Achieve Nerdvana. Big Nerd Ranch is the unique brainchild of Aaron Hillegass, established to broaden the minds of students and businesses alike in the fields of training, consulting and software development.

Rhyme & Reason Design was approached during the latter part of 2009 to help create a visually engaging and dynamic online presence for this niche company on the brink of stardom. The creative process allowed for our team to uncover a deeper understanding of the brand, noting the prevalence and meaning of the ten-gallon hat (a key element of Aaron’s wardrobe and personality), as well as create a look and feel that evokes a mixture of higher learning and meditation, all wrapped up with a touch of humor. Come on, their name’s Big Nerd Ranch!

After defining the core characteristics, Karen, our incredible graphic designer and flash developer, took to the computer to combine some traditional Buddhist principles with the quirkiness of the Big Nerd brand. Mirroring the 8 Noble Truths, Big Nerd Ranch came up with a few of their own: Right teachers. Right materials. Right atmosphere. Right approach. Right concepts. Right focus. Write code. Write applications. End result: Nerdvana.

To complement both concept and design, Rhyme & Reason integrated Flash animation with the illustrations to bring Nerdvana to life and create a fully interactive experience. Creating a succinct brand takes a great deal of knowledge about the marketplace, the competition, the target market and the company itself. Through immersion and research, Rhyme & Reason was able to create a strong online presence for Big Nerd Ranch. Achieving Nerdvana was such a hit online that we will be working on establishing the same in printed collateral and brand extensions. Keep an eye out in the months to come.

Haven’t seen the site yet? Visit www.bignerdranch.com