’80s Silicon Valley meets modern tech in Studio Freight’s identity and website for Applause

Proving to be a game-changer in the world of app development, Applause is subverting the norms and redefining what it means to be a steward of indie apps. With their commitment to transparency, ethical practices, and genuine care for app developers (unlike those who buy apps only to strip them for parts and sell them for a quick profit), they’re setting a new standard in the industry. Their brand and website system, developed by Studio Freight, embodies this mission, setting them apart in the Tech and SaaS space while paying homage to the golden age of technology. The brief, Design Director Cole Londeree explains, was clear and succinct, with a primary goal “to position Applause as the best option for app founders looking to sell their hard-earned work to a firm that would invest in, and grow, their original idea.” During early conversations, Applause’s appetite for a “more humanist approach” became clear, drawn towards analogue nostalgia over clinically sleek, corporate personas. “The brand’s relationship with early computing was a constant conversation throughout the project,” Londeree continues, likening the Applause team’s approach to the scrappy startup mentality of 1980s Silicon Valley. “They weren’t interested in adding more ‘slop’ to the world of apps – they prioritised founders with original ideas that improve everyday life. Our aim was to strike a balance between something that felt reminiscent of this tech legacy without appearing derivative.”