Client: Hidden Gems, a project of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni
Services: Brand development and logo design
Hidden Gems is an initiative whose mission is to highlight and support excellent liberal arts college programs across the United States.
The Challenge: The Hidden Gems project had been live for months but didn't have a logo or brand identity. Even though Hidden Gems provided a unique and valuable experience that set them apart from other competitors in their niche, its lack of brand presence prevented them from connecting with their audience and leaving a lasting impression. Hidden Gems needed a brand system that was clearly identifiable as being "collegiate," without looking like an actual college brand identity; the client also wanted something that balanced the authority of tradition with the approachability of more modern styling.
The Solution: Beginning with strategic meetings to hone in on Hidden Gems' brand core and target audience, we crafted a brand strategy that successfully differentiated from competitors and targeted key audience groups. Since Hidden Gems' primary offering is a college search engine tool, we focused on creating brand assets that could be used as badges.
