Trove's Founder exited his last company for $300million. He came to us to help brand his next venture. A passion project from his childhood. An online marketplace for PSA-graded collectible cards.
The idea was to bridge the emotional pull of physical collectibles with a seamless digital experience, combining nostalgia, rarity and the thrill of the hunt in a way that felt credible, premium and current. Our role was to shape a brand identity and website that could hold all of that at once: trust, authenticity, excitement and premium value.
Through early strategy sessions, we worked alongside Trove's CEO, to develop a strong understanding of the world Trove needed to occupy. This wasn't about leaning too heavily into nostalgia or over-styling the experience. It was about finding balance, creating a brand that felt modern and elevated, while still tapping into the emotional language of treasure hunting, longing and discovery. The identity needed to feel considered and refined, but never cold. It had to speak to serious collectors without losing the sense of fun that makes collecting so compelling in the first place.
From there, we built a visual direction that was intentionally restrained. The aesthetic was clean, minimal and contemporary, designed to give the product room to shine. Rather than compete with the cards, packs and collectibles themselves, the brand and website were crafted to frame them, allowing the collectibles to remain the hero throughout. A stripped-back interface, balanced typography and a minimal colour palette helped create a sense of confidence and clarity, while reinforcing the premium feel of the platform.
We delivered a complete brand foundation for Trove, including logo design, brand identity, website design & wirefreames, creative direction, ad copy suggestions and ongoing Google ads. Every element was developed to feel cohesive across the brand's physical and digital presence, ensuring Trove could launch with a clear point of view and a strong sense of legitimacy from day one.
The result was a brand and platform that captured the energy of collecting in a more refined and contemporary way. Trove launched successfully and although we had a small part to play, it's worth saying the level of talent behind this team - and their history of success is like nothing we've ever seen.
Founder, Mike Katz, has already exited 2 companies, 1 to Yahoo and his most recent was sold to ROKT for a reported $300million. With or without us, they were going to be successful - but we're honored they chose us to help shape their new brand.
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