Hillary Cianciosi
Building a Visual Language
Creating and evolving a scalable illustration and icon system used across the Chewy ecosystem.
As Chewy's digital ecosystem continued to grow, the need for a unified visual language became increasingly important.
Illustrations and icons appeared across marketing experiences, product surfaces, educational content, and customer communications, often serving different audiences and use cases.
The challenge was to create a system that felt distinctly Chewy while remaining flexible enough to scale across teams, platforms, and evolving customer needs.
This effort focused on establishing a cohesive visual foundation that could support both brand expression and product functionality.
My role
This work was developed through close
collaboration between Creative Direction,
Illustration, and Brand Design leadership.
I partnered with the Creative Director
and fellow illustration leadership to help
define the visual principles, stylistic
frameworks, and system requirements
that shaped the foundation of the work.
Today, I continue to steward and evolve
the system across teams and platforms.
The system
Built to scale.
Designed to adapt.
Created to connect.
Clarity
Every icon and illustration was designed to communicate quickly and intuitively, balancing personality with usability.
Personality
While functionality remained essential, the system was intentionally infused with warmth and optimism—reflecting the playful spirit that defines the Chewy brand.
Flexibility
From marketing campaigns to product experiences, the visual language was designed to adapt across contexts without losing cohesion.
One system—
Two environments.
Every asset was evaluated for accessibility, consistency, and visual impact across both environments.
Beyond Creation
Today, my role extends beyond creating individual assets.
I help guide the ongoing evolution of the system, partnering with illustrators, brand teams, and UX designers to ensure new work remains aligned with established principles while continuing to meet the needs of a growing business.
By balancing consistency with flexibility, we maintain a visual language that feels cohesive, recognizable, and distinctly Chewy across every customer touchpoint.
