Clay turns crypto clichés upside down in Sky’s optimistic brand — The Brand Identity – Home of the Greatest in Graphic & Brand Design

When MakerDAO, one of decentralised finance’s pioneering platforms, decided to evolve into Sky in 2024, it needed more than a fresh coat of paint. The cryptocurrency ecosystem – known as DeFi, where financial services operate without traditional banks or intermediaries through blockchain technology – had grown complex enough that effective governance of the original project proved challenging. San Francisco-based agency Clay, working closely with the team, developed a new identity that could support this ambitious restructuring whilst making the platform more approachable to newcomers.

“The idea behind the new name and the overall concept was already in place – it needed to feel vast, optimistic and open in every direction,” explains Oleg Turbaba, Brand Design Director at Clay. The rebrand introduces USDS (an upgraded version of the DAI stablecoin), a reorganised governance structure, and a new front-end interface called Sky.money that provides non-custodial access to the protocol. Users maintain complete control of their funds whilst accessing savings rates and reward mechanisms.

The visual concept centres on capturing a 360-degree panorama of the sky in constant transformation. During research, Clay discovered that placing a dot at the centre of a circle could represent the horizon, with different segments showing the sky at various times of day. This not only reinforced the visual metaphor of DeFi's boundless potential but also inspired the ‘portal’ concept used throughout the illustration system. The logomark itself is built with meticulous geometric precision, creating what Turbaba describes as “a celestial balance.”

To ground the dynamic visuals, Clay selected Circular Book as the primary typeface, implementing a Swiss-style typographic system across all touchpoints. “Since Sky’s visual language is quite active and dynamic, we decided to balance it with a clean, understated typeface,” Turbaba notes. “A Swiss-style typographic system provided the right balance, grounding the expressive visuals and creating a harmonious contrast between motion and stillness.”

The backgrounds required technical sophistication to achieve their atmospheric quality. Clay divided development into concept and production phases, maintaining full control over every detail – from specific colours in the sky gradients to cloud style variation. “We started working in parallel with the 3D team on cloud rendering, experimenting with styles, and determining the best approach,” Turbaba shares. The production phase used Houdini, Cinema 4D and Redshift Render to build a system capable of generating infinite sky background variations. By combining volumetric clouds with a physical sky model, the team produced elegant gradients with accurate atmospheric effects.

The illustration system operates across three interconnected tiers – pictograms, icons and illustrations – each serving distinct purposes whilst maintaining visual cohesion. Rather than dictating specific stylistic techniques, Clay defined rules and physical properties that allow flexible interpretation whilst ensuring clear brand connection. “For Sky, the smaller-scale icons are deliberately calm, so as not to overwhelm in compact sizes,” Turbaba explains. “Larger illustrations, on the other hand, are much more active.” The system draws inspiration from portals and transformations, using renderings, gradients and lighting effects to craft an immersive atmosphere.

Deliberately stepping away from cryptocurrency’s typical visual language became a strategic choice. “This topic came up frequently during our brand strategy sessions,” Turbaba reveals. “Regarding verbal language, we aimed to sound less technical and more optimistic. Visually, we intentionally used some familiar approaches recognisable to the audience. By turning conventions upside down, we used familiar ideas to create a distinctive visual language.”

The website balances complex animations with performance requirements across devices through early integration testing. Clay’s established pipeline between 3D production, web designers, motion designers and developers enabled them to test concepts in development from the outset. “This early integration gave us a significant advantage, allowing us to fine-tune how intro and scrolling animations work, minimising the impact on site performance,” notes Turbaba. Every interactive element – from dynamic animations to smooth transitions and subtle lighting effects – creates intuitive navigation whilst maintaining the brand’s atmospheric quality. A robust breakpoint system ensures the site retains its aesthetics and functionality across all screen sizes.

Beyond digital applications, Clay developed event assets and branded merchandise that capture the platform’s optimistic spirit. Sky gradients, data visualisations and motion graphics create memorable experiences for event participants. Bold infographics communicate complex data metrics with clarity, promoting the transparency that DeFi communities value. The design layouts balance concise data with vibrant visuals, guiding attention effectively.

For Spark, the first StarDAO (an independent decentralised project) within the Sky ecosystem, Clay created a distinct identity that maintains connection to the parent brand. The work included a memorable logo, unified sub-brands, expressive illustrations and an engaging web experience, all built on clear strategy and practical guidelines.

The rebrand’s impact extends beyond aesthetics. Clay enhanced the client’s site traffic by 40%, improved brand recognition and market positioning, and boosted engagement by 30%, customer satisfaction by 35%, and conversion rates by 25%.