Higher-Ed for the creatively led.
An early commitment as lecturer at Northern Kentucky University’s School of the Arts (SOTA) landed me on the Branding committee. During a brand consultation, I often find the true power of a culture isn’t being clearly expressed to the outside world. SOTA was no different. Maren Carpenter-Fearing and I initiated a series of ten workshops with various stakeholders to pin down the magic the school possesses. After several months, we emerged with an innovative creative platform and alignment on pragmatic and strategic matters. The following designs and original photography are my exploration of the strategy.
SOTA. Where creativity gets real.
The new platform focuses on the personalized, hands-on, and professionally-driven education one receives at SOTA; a unique experience in the region. It highlights how learning and nurturing creativity can solve real world problems when the world is looking for answers. Using energy, whimsy, and formal qualities, I created a series of explorations. SOTA is a school where experiments and pragmatism collide, resulting in creative individuals ready to work in the real world. At SOTA you “live it to learn it.” With a punchy post-covid color celebration, bright eclectic attitude, and a framework connecting music, theater, dance, art, and design into one vibrant playground, the identity shows a way forward in an institution in need of new thinking.
Strategy // Design // Concept // Photography // Art Direction
About the wordmark. The mark is a departure from the previous formal form. Minimizing the scale of the “O” and the “T” creates a playful movement as well as de-emphasizing the meaning of the “of the” in the School of the Arts. It becomes more of a stamp of exploration and originality more than a formal corporate or institutional signature. In a sense it becomes a more democratic and accessible fingerprint. The simple design allows for easy reproduction across all mediums from dimensional to digital displays.
Photography. I conducted a custom photoshoot using students from all of the SOTA programs. Letting them be expressive and connected to the SOTA culture made the photographs relatable and full of energy. Authentic portraiture was essential to the “Where creativity gets real.” concept.
Exploration 1
Exploration 2
Exploration 3
