Chosen because North Star Marketing won Gold for their client, Bradford Christian Academy, for Graphic Identity Redesign in the 2022 Brilliance Awards. North Star Marketing’s CEO Andy Lynch explains how it was done.

Step 1: Establish Goals

Bradford Christian Academy (BCA) wanted to redesign its school logo to convey the school’s reputation as a quality educational institution and attract more right-fit families.

Step 2: Hire a Consultant

Since BCA opened in 2004, all logos and branding images had been created by school personnel. By contracting with North Star Marketing, BCA was able to have a fresh set of eyes recognize the value of the school’s location, mission, and culture, and then communicate that value effectively within the school and in the surrounding community.

 Step 3: Think Beyond

Strategically, BCA chose to couple its brand redesign with a website refresh as well implementation of paid search and social media marketing campaigns to reach a broader audience of potential families.

 Step 4: Collaborate

“From conversations with the BCA team, our graphic designer, Kyle Smith, had a deep understanding of the school’s culture, values, and mission," says Andy Lynch, North Star Marketing CEO. “He wanted the logo redesign to capture the school’s authenticity and tell its story.” 

BCA’s existing logo included a subtle bridge image, which Kyle felt was important to preserve and further accentuate for two reasons. First, BCA shared its dedication to meeting students where they are, and a bridge is a strong visual to express that accessibility. Second, a bridge is symbolic of a journey, the crossing over into new territory, and a pathway toward the future, all important aspects of student success.

Step 5: Conduct Research

“Our designer also took cues from the school’s local landscape and township when redesigning the logo and proposed an entirely new color palette after careful research,” says Andy.

The suggestion was to shift from blues and golds to the colors and textures of the region: copper, rust, steel, brick, and water, mirroring the brickwork of the area’s historic mills, the ironwork patina, and the local rivers. The bridge theme, river imagery, and new color palette were complemented with a border in the shape of a shield, paying tribute to the school’s sentinel mascot.

In terms of typography, because BCA values accessibility and community, font selections included those that were bold, yet welcoming and friendly.

Step 6: Execute with Aplomb

Since the logo and website transformation, BCA’s students and teachers feel a greater sense of pride in their school. The fresh branding, coupled with the establishment of a second campus designed specifically for grades 6-12 and enhancements to their elementary campus in Haverhill, helped Bradford Christian better represent the quality of their education offering.  

Step 7: Advice for others

Kyle says, “For schools seeking to rebrand, you must enter the process with a vision of what success will look like for your marketing and rebranding team, board of directors, and current students and families, as well as future families who will arrive someday.”

Kyle also recommends:

1. Focus on the big picture. Marketing projects can get overly focused on personal preferences and aesthetics versus what will make a positive impact on those you’re trying to reach. Concentrate on the latter.

2. Ensure your school is fully engaged and committed to the project.

3. Keep communication open with ideas and opinions flowing easily.

4. Discuss details such as your school’s history, current goals, and where you want to be as an organization in ten years. Don’t be shy.

5. Know that each ounce of input becomes the bones that ideas are sculpted around.

6. Be honest and engaged during the proofing stages.

7. Stand by the new brand once a project is approved and finalized.

Congratulations, North Star Marketing and Bradford Christian Academy! You are brilliant!

TEAM
Kyle Smith, North Star Marketing
Sarah Sams, North Star Marketing
Tyler Olson, North Star Marketing
Laura Eisenga, North Star Marketing
Victoria Kennedy, Bradford Christian Academy

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