Lead Designer
4 weeks
Rebrand Design & Conference Materials
The brief was to effectively rejuvenate the brand identity of the UT Humanities Center in light of its modern approach towards humanities education and deepen engagement with the campus community. The project establishes the Humanities Center as a vital hub for understanding and interpreting the human experience by redesigning brand identity and associated deliverables.
The project will involve a complete branding redesign process with all activities therein, such as research, competition audits, persona development, and moodboarding. At the center of this identity is a logo that marries a dove with an 'H' shape in a strong symbol, depicting coming together in unity and connection across beliefs. This logo will be multi-colored to mean inclusivity and openness.
The new reimagined brand identity for the UT Humanities Center is to create a lively and engaging appeal that will speak eloquently to both the on-campus population and the general public. Such branding must convey the center's commitment to fostering a better understanding of the human condition and its relevance today.
Principal challenges include developing a modern brand identity that respects the center's historical roots. Ensuring the new brand aligns with the center's mission and values while appealing to a diverse audience will also be important.
The previous brand identity fails to project the center's contemporary methodology in humanities education. It might also not relate well to a student and faculty demographic.
Logo with Symbolic Imagery – Combines a dove and the letter "H" to represent peace, unity, and interconnectedness across diverse worldviews.
Balanced and Stable Design – Uses the horizontal line in the "H" to create a sense of equilibrium, reflecting the Humanities Center's role in connecting ideas and people.
Color Palette Variations – Offers flexibility with multi-colored options to evoke different emotions and engage inclusively with diverse audiences.
Unified Brand System – Incorporates the logo and color palette cohesively across digital and physical materials, establishing a recognizable brand identity.
Clean, Professional Design for Conference Materials – Applies a clean, accent-focused color scheme across conference materials to ensure consistency and brand recognition.
Circular Motif for Unity – Uses circular shapes throughout materials to reinforce themes of wholeness and interconnectedness.
Adaptability for Social Media – Ensures logo variations are optimized for social media profiles, enhancing the Center's digital presence and accessibility.
The rebranding of the University of Tennessee Humanities Center captured the essence of humanities as a mindful, approachable, and evolving field. Through a new logo that combines the imagery of a dove with the letter "H," the"de"ign symbolizes unity, balance, and the interconnectedness of diverse human experiences. The multi-colored palette adds flexibility, allowing the logo to evoke a range of emotions and connect with a broad audience while maintaining a cohesive identity. By integrating this fresh, inclusive branding across conference materials, signage, and digital assets, the project enhances the Center’sCenter'sity and appeal, promoting its role as a critical resource for understanding and interpreting the human experience.
A user-centered design imparted in this revitalization of the UT Humanities Center brand will make it resonate with the target audience. By applying the below-mentioned approaches, the project will gain valuable insight into design decisions, ensuring that the newly formed brand identity fulfills the needs and expectations of the UT Humanities Center community.
Empathy mapping: Create empathy maps to understand the thoughts, feelings, actions, and pain points of students, faculty members, and community members.
User Interviews: Doing in-depth interviews with a representative section of the target demographic to elicit useful insights about their needs, preferences, and expectations.
Surveys are used to collect quantitative data and to identify common themes and trends in the target population.
Observation: Monitoring user behavior is essential to understand how people engage with current branding and messaging.
Feedback Loops: Incorporate a feedback loop within the design process to stay tuned to the shifting needs and desires of the target audience.
