Developing a new identity for an existing brand can be an emotional process for clients. It can be difficult to let go of the old brand and convince stakeholders it’s the right thing to do. So when we were tasked with this challenge for Detroit Public Schools (DPS), we knew we would have to answer a lot of questions: Should it visually connect to the old logo, and how? What’s the best way to represent the brand? Will the new logo be able to live on for years to come?
Whether it’s a new brand or an evolving one, effective logos are born out of plenty of strategic thought and planning.
Identifying our goal was the first step: Create a new logo and tagline that reflects the improvements the district has been making, including increasing academic achievement, updating facilities and implementing new programs. After thorough research and brand strategy development, we created a new logo and tagline to replace the district’s 10-year-old “I’m In” campaign. The new logo and tagline reflect DPS’ progress and help carry forward the positive momentum while remaining true to DPS’ roots.
We started by exploring ways to evolve the “I’m In” door.
We stuck to blue because it’s been strongly associated with DPS for many years. The new logo shape is modern take on the door, and also symbolizes a blue ribbon for quality schools.
People are often pleasantly surprised by DPS’ rich offerings, so the new tagline encourages people to take a closer look at the schools.
“So many positive things are happening at Detroit Public Schools and we knew that we needed to update our brand to reflect these changes. The DPS/Skidmore partnership was a natural one because of their commitment to Detroit and the district’s commitment to serving the city’s children. We are so proud of the work we did together and the amazing outcome. The District is confident that “See It, Believe It” will give people a fresh perspective about the progress being made at DPS. We can’t thank the team enough for their support.”
- Michelle Zdrodowski, Detroit Public Schools Chief Communications Officer
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