CASTLETON STATE COLLEGE College Memories: A Brand Reimagined
Table of Contents Section 1 Introduction Section 2 Brand Development 2.1 3.2 3.3
Research Target Audience Logo Development
Section 3 Styleguide 4.1 4.2 4.3
Redesigned Logo Typography Color Palette
Section 4 Final Design 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4
Social Media Augmented Reality Website Print
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1.1
Introduction
Established in 1787, Castleton is the nation’s
18th oldest college. Offering some one of the lowest tuition rates in the region plus a wide variety of program options in an environment of friendly collaboration, fun, and outdoor recreation, Castleton is an obvious choice. Decreased funding and increased competition for students, however, are threatening the vitality of the school. An updated and reenergized brand identity will help revive this historic and magical place of learning.
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n o t e l t s a C
s u p cam
Woodruff Hall
Dorms
Fine Arts Center 3
Section 2 Brand Development 2.1 Research 2.2 Target Audience 2.3 Logo Development
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2.1
The Challenge
Situated on an idyllic campus nestled
in the picturesque Green Mountains of southern Vermont, Castleton State College offers a wide variety of fields of study and among the lowest tuition rates among public four-year institutions in the region. A decade-long decrease in state funding and a systematic devaluation of the importance of traditional brick-and-mortar higher education, however, have led to one of the most challenging periods yet for the College. The resulting environment is one in which the institution must balance an increasing need to seek entrepreneurial solutions with its stated relationship-based approach to education. Complicating matters is a poorly defined brand and marketing strategy, reflected most obviously in the college’s 15 year-old website and lack of effective use of media and technology as recruitment and retention tools. How then, does Castleton capitalize upon its many virtues in order to maintain and create new revenue streams in an age of unprecedented uncertainty?
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The
answer just might be found in the contradictions that make up the fabric of the school. Indeed, Castleton is steeped in a rich history and over two centuries of tradition. However, it also has its sights set on being the regional hub of masters-level education and online delivery. Indeed, Castleton is located in rural New England and surrounded by farmland, but it is also led by a visionary president and supported by world-class faculty. Yes, Castleton is a small school. But, it is the “small school with a big heart� and at Castleton the number one selling point is a unique experience in which everyone is made
A small school with a BIG heart. . . to feel like a member of the family. The key will be to find an effective method for getting that message to the right audience in a language that they will understand. To that end, a rebranding effort that accurately reflects Castleton’s unique personality will be developed and delivered through a variety of print, web-based, and social media outlets that, up to this point, have been largely untapped.
Castleton
boasts easy access to lakes, hiking trails, and ski resorts, and naturally draws in students who prefer a small town setting with outdoor activities. The larger nearby town of Rutland offers a multitude of dining, cultural, and nightlife options. Castleton’s current enrollment sits at just under 2,000 full-time students and a 14/1 instructor-to-student ratio that allows for truly personalized instruction. Castleton
is also an affordable option with an annual tuition rate that is $2,000 less than the four-year public school average throughout New England (“Trends in Higher Education,” 2013).
Besides its history, location, small class
size, and low tuition costs, the major aspect that differentiates Castleton from the competition is its sense of tradition and the “warm embrace” it offers up to all who join the “Castleton family.” As President Dave Wolk says, “The journey to Castleton’s 225th birthday has been guided by an enduring good spirit, by a rich sense of community, by a deep commitment to doing good—by the legacy of its “Big Heart” (Powers et al., 2012).
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2.2
The Target Audience Meghan McMullen NAME
20
Female
AGE
GENDER
LOCATION: Rutland, VT OCCUPATION:
Sales Assoc Panera Bread
Meghan is a single mom of an 18-month old girl.
Meghan is studying to be a nurse and dreams of someday relocating to a hospital in Burlington. She is confident that an education at Castleton will help her achieve her goals.
Jason Delbianco
NAME
16
Male
AGE
GENDER
LOCATION: Boston, MA OCCUPATION:
High School Junior
Jason has been recruited by Castleton to play on their hockey team. He is
excited to leave the big city and try out something new. At Castleton he will study Elementary Education and hopes to follow in his mother’s footsteps and become a fifth-grade teacher.
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2.3
Logo Development Logo Inspirations
Castleton
Logo Sketches Castleton
Castleton Castleton Castleton Castleton Castleton Castleton CastletonCastleton Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
S TAT E C O L L E G E
1.
TAT E C O L L E G E
S TAT E C O L L E G E 1.
S TAT E C O L L E G E S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton Castleton C Castleton Castleton Castleton Castleton Castleton S Castleton Castleton C Castleton Castleton Castleton Castleton C S Castleton C 3.
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COLLEGE
ST TO E LCLO S TAT E AC E LGLEE G E S TAT E C O L L E G E C 2. C SS
C CC C C S TAT E C O L L E G E S TAT E S TAT E C O L L E G E
S TAT E C O L L E G E
COLLEGE
C SC C
S TAT E C O L L E G E S TAT E S TAT E C O L L E G E
6.
6.
S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton Castleton Castleton Castleton Castleton ton 6 Castleton
LEGE
Castleton Castleton
S TAT E C O L L E G E
.
S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton
S TAT E C O L L E G E
S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton Castleton Castleton
Castleton
S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton Come home to Castleton
C
C
Castleton
S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton
S TAT E C O L L E G E S TAT E C O L L E G E COLLEGE 3.
S TAT E C O L L E G E
S TAT E C O L L E G E
S TAT E C O L L E G E S TAT E C O LLEGE
C SC
C
S TAT E C O L L E G E
S TAT E C O L L E G E
GE
C SC
Castleton
Castleton on Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
C 2. C SS
S T A T EC SCCO L L E G E
Castleton
CastletonCome home to Castleton
Castleton
Your memories are waiting!
C
Castleton
C
Castleton
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Section 3 Style Guide 3.1 Redesigned Logo 3.2 Typography 3.3 Color Palette
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3.1
Redesigned Logo
Current Logo
Out of the seven design criteria that David Airey outlines in Logo Design Love, the
most obvious one that pertains to the current Castleton logo is simplicity. While this makes sense, it does beg the question whether or not this logo is overly simplistic. In other words, what it is missing is distinction. It is not, as Airey says, “so recognizable (…) that just its shape or outline gives it away” (Airey, 2010).
Redesigned Logo
Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
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(Full Color)
Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton
Castleton
S TAT E C O L L E G E
S TAT E C O L L E G E (One Color)
Castleton Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
S TAT E C O L L E G E
(Transparent)
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The new logo features
a mixture of a new, more modern style and traditional, recognizable elements. The font chosen for the logotype is Baskerville, which is fitting because Castleton has used it for several decades and will help the brand remain recognizable for those who are familiar with the former logo.
The tree represents
growth, renewal, and the attainment of knowledge, which is why it is commonly used by other colleges and universities. This particular tree, however, has a more casual style and strikes a less traditional chord. It is designed to appeal to a younger audience.
Minimum Logo Size Castleton
1�
S TAT E C O L L E G E
1.4�
Clear space
Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
= X Value
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Castleton STATE COLLEGE
Inappropriate Logo Usage
Castleton
S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton
S TAT E C O L L E G E
Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
CastCastleleton STATE STATECOLLEGE COLLEGE
Castleton S TAT E C O L L E G E
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3.2
Typography
Primary: Baskerville
HEADLINES / Headlines Headlines / Sub-Headlines Baskerville was chosen to echo the Castleton logotype and will be used primarily in headlines and subheadings.
Secondary: HarabaraHand Headlines / Accents HarbaraHand was selected to give the impression of handwriting without losing
legibility. It should be used only occasionally as an accent font to add visual depth and variety.
Tertiary: Helvetica Headlines / Headlines Body Copy Helvetica is to be used as the primary body copy font because it compliments Baskerville and provides variety and superior legibility.
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Color Palette
3.3
Primary RGB: 1.86.63 CMYK: 90.40.79.38 PANTONE 7484 a.k.a. “Castleton Green”
Secondary
RGB: 18.84.105 CMYK: 93.58.43.23 PANTONE 7477
RGB: 255.171.99 CMYK: 0.39.67.0 PANTONE 714
RGB: 84.30.79 CMYK: 68.97.38.34 PANTONE 261
The brand colors were chosen to mimic
the colors of the autumn leaves that are so commonly associated with this region. These colors and the season of autumn help reinforce the sense of warmth, coziness, and bring to mind school related imagery: the beginning of the academic year, football games, bonfires, etc.
The “Castleton Green” has long been
RGB: 227.142.114 CMYK: 8.52.55.0 PANTONE 486
associated with the school and is also fitting since “green suggests stability and endurance” (color-wheel-pro, n.d.).
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