Before (or until) people really got all into the backend side of the internet, diving into all things interface, experience and the mechanics behind them, many might visit a favorite site to find it had been updated with a fresh coat of paint. Many might even pass it off as nothing more than just the owners being tired of the old look, and the change, no different from, say, someone adding new shoes to their wardrobe.

But now that we’re all “grown up,” looking back, it’s likely any new look was a bit more deliberate and more a result of changing tides. Everything from technology to human behavior continually changes. As they do, so too must the interfaces that engage with them.

If you’ve recently visited Brand Labs’ site, you might have noticed its new look. Well, we’re here to tell you it’s more than just cosmetic. And we wouldn’t be worth our salt if we weren’t also capable of being self-aware.

First, we created a foundation from a custom WordPress build, which allows for better file organization as all the custom styles and components are organized into specific folders within the source code structure. The result is a build that integrates with the rest of the WordPress theme in a simple and solid way, making all custom components available for usage anywhere in the site.

Building on this foundation serves to accomplish another great feat: creating a pleasant “developer experience” as it integrates Web Components and Tailwind CSS through Vite, in a fast and lightweight setup, allowing for quick onboarding of development teams who can start being productive in no time.

Said João Henrique de Andrade Bruni, the main developer for Brand Labs’ site, “The choice of a clean, but powerful, technology stack for the front-end, and a careful setup at the very beginning of the project, renders long-term benefits.”

“Theme updates can be deployed through the click of a button from GitLab’s CI/CD pipelines web interface for pre-production and production environments. It’s worth highlighting the importance of having a clear source code organization: development team members know exactly where to look and what to do when performing maintenance or introducing new features,” Bruni said. “We are proud of what we achieved behind the curtains. The site visitors can’t see it, but as developers we are enthusiastic about the neat, straightforward and robust architecture sustaining the interactive surface.”

And what’s a great backend without a good-looking frontend? If you’ve followed our other blogs about UI and UX, the two go hand-in-hand. Not one over the other, but each playing off the other symbiotically.

“With the recent redesign of the Brand Labs site, we really wanted to show off our fun personality and provide a unique experience,” said Lindsy Carman, Head of UX and Design. “One of the ways we did this was by bringing in playful animations and micro-interactions. Animations are a great way to enhance and enrich your experience while bringing out the brand’s personality.”

“From unique button hovers, waving backgrounds and fun team filtering, they add a little delight as you interact with the site, enhancing the experience while driving intent.”

Suffice it to say, our new look is more than just face value. And just like the tides that change, we change with them and know that we serve you better only when we can better serve.

Like what you see on the site? Reach out to us for a full list of improvements and enhancements and we’d be happy to share. And if it’s been awhile since you’ve invested in “a fresh coat of paint,” let us know. Because a rich backend makes for an impactful frontend.