Step 1: The Challenge

East Hill Christian School sought to brighten up outdated branding while differentiating between its academic and athletic brands. They also wanted a brand standards guide in place to establish a cohesive look across designs.

North Star Marketing designer Kyle Smith was tasked with developing an inviting new academic brand that would demonstrate East Hill as a Christ-centered, college prep school and share the vibrant nature of the school’s community. The goal for the athletics branding was to create a fiercer look that would complement the school’s competitive sports teams.

BEFORE: East hill christian school athletic logo

Step 2: Look to the Past. Plan for the Future.

Kyle listened to all the voices in the room to get a good balance on a direction to begin and considered East Hill’s school culture, values, and mission. He reviewed the original design and progressions over time to understand the brand's history.

With East Hill having “hill” in the school name and their mascot being an eagle, Kyle thought of ways to incorporate wings and height into the design. Collaborating with North Star Marketing’s lead writer, Angeline Gormley, a complementary tagline incorporated the word “elevate,” seamlessly unifying the image design and copy.

Since East Hill is the only evangelical school in Pensacola, serving families since 1958, it was important to tie that differentiator to the design, evident in the logo’s cross and year of establishment. Kyle incorporated gradients and gold to provide the brighter look East Hill was after.

Step 3: Academics And Athletics — The Same But Different

Kyle envisioned two unique eagle brands, one for academics and another for athletics. The academic brand has a contemporary, abstract set of wings with an inverted crest, offering a collegiate feel, while the athletic eagle has a fiercer look that sports fans and athletes favor. Though distinct from one another, both brands complement each other and look like they belong to the same design family.

AFTER: EAST HILL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ATHLETIC LOGO

EAST HILL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ACADEMIC LOGO

North Star Marketing production manager, Sarah Koudelka, notes: “This one was one of my favorite brands Kyle has done. The client loved everything he did, including the way he implemented the brand into their website.”

“With North Star’s help, our school was able to establish a more current, trustworthy brand. As we continue to recruit new families, we are so grateful for the website and branding that perfectly captures who we are and what we believe. The team at North Star did a great job weaving together the familiarity of our old brand with the new. They protected our legacy while also helping to usher in a modern take.”

— Grace Sloan, Media Specialist, East Hill Christian School

Step 4: Advice for Others

Kyle’s advice is to focus on the big picture, understand where the client hopes to be at the end of the project, and identify what success looks like.

Make it a point to collaborate and be engaged since communication can be challenging when there are a lot of stakeholders involved.

Think about the families, don’t forget who the target market is, and be honest during proofing.

“I wanted to create something students could be proud to wear on a shirt. I pray that it’s an important part of their childhood and educational experience.”

— Kyle Smith, North Star Marketing, Designer

Congratulations, North Star Marketing and East Hill Christian School! You are brilliant!

TEAM
Kyle Smith, North Star Marketing, Designer
Sarah Koudelka, North Star Marketing, Production Director
Angeline Gormley, North Star Marketing, Lead Writer
Susan Crawford, North Star Marketing, Enrollment Marketing Strategist
Lori W. Hadley, Ed. D., East Hill Christian School, Head of School
Amanda Hudspeth, East Hill Christian School, Board Member
Morgan Gleason, East Hill Christian School, Board Member

See All the 2023 Winners

Did you win a Brilliance Award and want to be featured on the By Example case study blog? Send in your questionnaire or ask Liza for another one to get the process started.

Want more brilliant ideas and brain food to make your job easier? Sign up here.