Talent Chess is a distinctive learning and simulation platform that helps individuals and organisations think more strategically about growth, decision-making, and performance. Inspired by the game of chess, it encourages participants to build self-awareness, develop strategy, and execute with intent—understanding not just what moves they make, but why.
The game was initially designed as a facilitation-led experience and quickly gained traction for its depth, engagement, and outcomes. As its adoption grew, the opportunity shifted from a one-off experience to a scalable, subscription-ready product.
The brief to Bokaap was to create a distinctive brand identity and website that could clearly articulate this philosophy of movement and strategy—transforming Talent Chess from a successful game into a globally relevant digital brand with a strong, coherent visual presence.
The objective was to create a cohesive brand and digital experience that communicated Talent Chess’s unique value — bridging the gap between potential and performance through intentional, strategic action. This was not just about aesthetics — it was about positioning Talent Chess as a credible, repeatable product that organisations could adopt globally.
Express the journey of growth and progression through a confident, dynamic visual identity and digital experience.
Subtly embed the principles of chess — strategy, foresight, movement, and consequence — into the brand language and interface design.
Create a clear, engaging, and approachable brand identity that could resonate with individuals, leadership teams, and organisations across geographies.
Talent Chess required a modern, relatable brand identity that clearly communicated its core differentiation—a consultancy-led journey anchored by a game. The brief was to visually express movement, decision-making, and progression, and to ensure the identity felt like a game rather than a traditional corporate brand, while remaining credible for enterprise and global audiences.
Having already designed and built the Talent Chess game, and drawing on years of close collaboration with the founder, we entered the branding phase with a deep understanding of its mechanics, learning flow, and long-term vision. This allowed us to translate the philosophy of strategy, movement, and progression into a bold yet flexible brand system—designed to grow with the product.
Our work included:
The result: a brand that feels strategic without being rigid—and human without losing credibility.
With the brand foundation in place, we designed the Talent Chess website to clearly communicate its value while inviting exploration. The idea of movement was carried into the digital experience through animated graphics and interactions that guide users through the philosophy, advantages, and outcomes.
Our approach focused on:
Every design decision mirrored the principles Talent Chess is built on. See the website here.
To bring the thinking to life, we conceptualised and produced an explainer video and a set of animated visual assets that translated Talent Chess’s game mechanics and ideas into clear, engaging moments across the website—helping users quickly understand the philosophy, flow, and value of the experience.
