Project details
The challenge
Like many schools, Farnborough Hill found itself stuck with perceptions that no longer reflected the reality. The senior leadership and governors decided that a root-and-branch review and re-imagination of their brand was necessary to reposition the school for the future.
The brief was open – other than retaining green and not changing the school name, we were given creative freedom to develop an independent school brand for the 21st century.
Key success factors
- Finding and articulating what is special about the school
- Clear positioning in the market
- An authentic brand that is true to the school's ethos
Our approach
Finding the school's brand purpose was our initial focus. After digging deep to really 'get' the school, we arrived at 'Wholeheartedly' which encapsulates the spirit and ethos of pupils, staff and alumnae – positioning the school as academically rigorous and reaffirming their reputation for outstanding pastoral care.
The visual identity grew from there; the crest combining a heart and a bee (a nod to the outgoing crest and with links to the school's Catholic heritage); a large heart 'swoosh' branding element; patterns, and so on.
The relationship of the main school with the sixth form was also carefully crafted. Whilst the sixth form is very much part of the family, it is a very different experience with students gaining greater independence – we thought that it was right for the brand to reflect this.
The bee represents students' readiness to take flight into the world and gives sixth formers a symbol they can 'own'. The purple harmonises with the main school green whilst creating a greater sense of independence.
Like many schools, Farnborough Hill found itself stuck with perceptions that no longer reflected the reality. The senior leadership and governors decided that a root-and-branch review and re-imagination of their brand was necessary to reposition the school for the future.
The brief was open – other than retaining green and not changing the school name, we were given creative freedom to develop an independent school brand for the 21st century.
Key success factors
- Finding and articulating what is special about the school
- Clear positioning in the market
- An authentic brand that is true to the school's ethos
Our approach
Finding the school's brand purpose was our initial focus. After digging deep to really 'get' the school, we arrived at 'Wholeheartedly' which encapsulates the spirit and ethos of pupils, staff and alumnae – positioning the school as academically rigorous and reaffirming their reputation for outstanding pastoral care.
The visual identity grew from there; the crest combining a heart and a bee (a nod to the outgoing crest and with links to the school's Catholic heritage); a large heart 'swoosh' branding element; patterns, and so on.
The relationship of the main school with the sixth form was also carefully crafted. Whilst the sixth form is very much part of the family, it is a very different experience with students gaining greater independence – we thought that it was right for the brand to reflect this.
The bee represents students' readiness to take flight into the world and gives sixth formers a symbol they can 'own'. The purple harmonises with the main school green whilst creating a greater sense of independence.
