A few years ago, we built a website for Benson Hill Biosystems, a pioneering company combining machine learning with genome editing in the agricultural industry. As the company grew beyond its startup roots, they needed a new website to bring their message – proof that their cutting-edge technology delivers real results – to more people than ever.
As the company moved from the startup phase, where it was seeking both funding and initial partnerships, it needed a broader message. It needed to be even clearer about their vision and what they do – with messages that would be relevant to scientific and non-scientific audiences alike.
Most importantly, we worked with Benson Hill to build appropriate calls to action throughout the site – starting with the homepage.
The site sets the stage for the brand, using bright, approachable photography and repeatable components that can be used both on the web and in the company’s print materials. This includes an iconography system that helps separate complex information into digestible, scannable pieces.
Throughout the site, we use photos both of consumers and researchers – and of course food and ingredients. We consciously minimized expected lab photos (except where appropriate, of course). This was part of the site’s balancing act, ensuring the language and images were technical enough to please our scientific audience but also accessible for the broader population.
Our solution? The deeper people get into the site, the more technical the information becomes. The calls to action get more specific, inviting companies to partner with Benson Hill on their journey.
Concurrent with the site’s launch, Benson Hill announced a new partnership with Mars to improve the resiliency of the cacao tree. The announcement has brought a lot of international attention to the company (and traffic to the site) and we can’t wait to see what they’re able to do next.
