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Project Discovery needed a fresh and modern revamp of their logo and branding. The client had a website with extremely outdated design, and the organization had little to no branding, and no logo. They had to appeal to three different key demographics: students, parents, and fund legislators and donors. Their vision for the brand was something that was exciting for students, established for parents, and a social necessity for legislators and donors. My position as the lead branding developer tasked me with starting at the grassroot of how design could speak to the mission and vision of Project Discovery, all while staying versatile enough to appeal its three main audience groups. The new branding would eventually inform and guide future projects undertaken by the organization, such as website redesign, annual reports, and more.
When the project was assigned to me, the focus group with the client had already been carried out. I was given a compiled document of notes which I used to form multiple trajectories of where the brand could go and how the logo could look. The client had liked a few things about their previous brand which I also took into consideration. In this initial stage of research, I made myself familiar with Project Discovery's mission and vision, learned more about what services they provided to their community, and who their target audiences were. A SWOT analysis was created for each demographic and the brand as a whole.
When I begin my logo design process, I experiment with color, shape, type, and other design elements in Adobe Illustrator. After multiple drafts had been created we decided to narrow the focus of my design to a theme of "navigating the future" - the new working tagline for the brand. From this theme we eventually landed on compass symbolism for the logo and brand (the client had been very adamant about "no more hot air balloon!" in referenced to their previous photo icon). Client feedback was integral in this process to ensure that we were designing a logo and brand that met all of their objectives.
After the logo options got singled down to a more definable identity, I began working on how those design elements would be incorporated into an overarching brand. While some things such as typeface and color were not yet locked down, I brainstormed on how the look and feel the brand would present based on my initial research. Because I had been working on the brand identity in tandem with the logo identity, once the logo had been decided my process of creating brand assets was streamlined. Once the logo was decided, the brand package was quickly complete and delivered to the client.
After the brand style was locked down, it was then time to incorporate it in brand materials. The standard set on brand materials packaged include business cards, stationary, press release template, social media assets, and brand use guidelines. This involved some feedback on the client's part for how they felt the designs fit with their vision and culture. After the brand package was complete, I continued working on expanding the brand's new look to other areas such as their annual report and website. Seeing how the different elements applied across multiple formats was useful in shaping the final image of the brand.
As a designer you don't always get to see all the small ways your work grows in the world around it. Sometimes the last goodbye is when you drop off the final project package, but occasionally we get moments of seeing our clients implement the brand in their own fun ways.
I was invited to speak to Project Discovery's partner agencies at their training retreat to present the new brand. Once the presentation was over, the executive director showed me how they adapted my logo to be used on t-shirts, travel mugs, and even little tiny mint tins! The coolest part was seeing how they took my idea of a logo symbol and used it in a creative way by having the compass symbol be on the shoulder of the t-shirts.
While I don't usually recommend clients stray from the brand guidelines when adapting a logo, they told me they took the guidelines I had compiled for them into heavy consideration, wanting the t-shirts to be creative but not committing design mistakes. It was a proud and humbling moment for me, knowing that the work I put in was valued and found to be helpful to my client achieving their vision. I consider that one of the greatest compliments of my career thus far.
