Brand & Design Portfolio - Jacob Hilsabeck
I'm a visual designer and brand strategist based in Rochester, MN with 7+ years at Woodway USA, a premium fitness equipment manufacturer. I've spent my career operating as the sole creative lead in a lean team — which has meant taking projects from conception through delivery, whether self-initiated or handed to me as a brief. This page collects work across UI and touchscreen interface design, brand identity and design systems, print, environmental and trade show design, and video content production.
Project: Treadwell
A self-initiated project to redesign Woodway's treadmill touchscreen interface — originated without a brief after identifying a gap between the software experience and the brand's premium positioning. Designing for a 1920×1080 large-format touchscreen used during physical exertion required rethinking standard UI conventions: larger touch targets, simplified navigation hierarchies, and high-contrast visuals readable at arm's length mid-workout. The redesigned interface, built to reflect the updated Woodway brand system, earned leadership buy-in through an informal pitch and was developed over a multi-year cycle. Treadwell shipped and is currently live across Woodway's customer base.
Brand System
A full brand system overhaul originated without a formal brief — developed after identifying a misalignment between Woodway's premium market position and its existing visual identity. Delivered a refined logo, updated color system, new typography, and an imagery philosophy that shifted the brand from sterile product photography toward photojournalistic storytelling.
I rounded the corners and modified the W to resemble the tape at the finish line of a race
Trade Show & Environmental Design
Large-format visual assets designed for Woodway's presence at international trade shows including HFA, FIBO, and AUSA. All assets designed to spec and coordinated directly with fabrication vendors to ensure production fidelity across every surface.
A 5’ x 8’ portion of a wall for AUSA 2025
Trade Show assets designed for HFA 2025
Swag giveaway featuring the badge I designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Woodway
This design will spread a 7m x 3m wall at FIBO in Cologne Germany, April 2026.
In Use
Used as a screensaver on a new product, this image shows the early days of our transition to our current branding strategy. This was before the new logo was developed and approved but shows updated typography and transition to lifestyle photography as the main visual driver.
A design to be used for our social media sites. Again, highlighting the use of textures (our brand mottos subtly overlaying the image), the use of lifestyle imagery showing our products in use, and the updated Woodway Emblem.
Print & Catalogue
18-page motorized product line catalogue. Full layout, visual asset, color, and branding ownership. Launched at HFA 2025.
