Giving an AI a Heartbeat
Brand identity for Pulse, WGSN's AI-powered search tool
Pulse turns AI-powered search into a living presence on the platform — a five-circle logomark that shifts, pulses and responds in real time, giving WGSN's newest tool a personality users can connect with.
Role
Creative direction
Overview
Pulse is WGSN's natural language search tool, powered by generative AI — delivering precise answers from WGSN's full content library in seconds. Giving it a standalone identity signaled more than a feature launch: a faster, more intuitive way to work with the platform.
The Name
In trend forecasting, "pulse" means reading the real-time heartbeat of an industry. The name needed to feel alive and scale with the platform — clear, memorable, instantly communicative of what the tool does.
The Logomark
Five circles, shifting and pulling to create rhythm — a visual heartbeat in motion. It shifts between four modes — Thinking, Resting, Responding, Greeting — each with distinct feedback, making Pulse feel like a companion rather than a tool.
The Challenge
This identity had to function as a live UI element, not just a logo — scalable and flexible enough to work across the full user journey and evolve as the tool's capabilities grow.
The Feel
Approachable, curious, a little playful. Something that invites exploration rather than just delivering results — lively and clever from the first interaction.
The Takeaway
A brand identity wasn't originally in scope — the focus was on building the tool itself. Spotting the opportunity to give Pulse a visual voice, and watching the reaction when it was first presented to engineers and product managers, was the clearest proof point: personality isn't decoration. It's what makes people connect with a product. That's a lesson worth carrying into every project since.