Refreshed brand for online school
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OPPORTUNITY
Building a Second Brain (BASB) is a cohort-based course on the leading edge of personal knowledge management, helping thousands of people to manage information overwhelm, find clarity in their work and personal lives, and supercharge their creative output. While its original branding had appealed to hard-core techies, the company needed to evolve its visual identity to match (and attract more of) its rapidly growing mainstream audience. The branding also needed to show that the program had become a sophisticated, fun, premium experience. SOLUTION After conducting audience research (and taking the 5-week program myself), I developed a comprehensive visual identity system that balanced a digital look with a human, friendly feel. Circuitry reflects the company’s technological underpinnings and remixes flexibly to suggest different meanings across digital and print media. A quirky yet highly legible typeface helps copy to take on a more personable voice. A muted color palette with pops of energetic accents provides both sophistication and playful warmth. I produced a brand guidebook detailing the new visual identity system, articulating the design strategy and writing the copy for all mockups. I also produced a library of 33 circuit graphic elements for easy content creation. Click to view the guidebook. |
Original logo
The refreshed logo
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Click to view guidebook
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While the logo hints at the circuit system with the dot separators for the acronym, the client also wished for a symbol and logo that would convey the circuit system on its own. I also developed a version of the logo that can be used at large scale in hero moments and abbreviated to a single “B” for a symbol.
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During the rebranding, the founder was writing a book about the course. I helped with producing diagrams and illustrations for the book and designed suggested covers to integrate with the new branding. The cover that Atria Books produced (view here) shared similarities with my concepts below.
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Brand evolution and brand documentation for science museum
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OPPORTUNITY
The California Academy of Sciences is a natural history museum and research institution with a four-story rainforest, aquarium, and planetarium—all under one living roof. Its programming and audiences are diverse and constantly changing, but its brand guidebook was roughly a decade old (that’s centuries in butterfly generations!). The Academy needed a refreshed set of visual branding principles and documented guidance in producing cohesively branded content. I also noticed a need for a document containing technical specs for creating print and digital media. SOLUTION I designed and wrote all the copy for a new brand guidebook. This endeavor took more than a year, as I worked closely with directors across multiple teams to develop new brand attributes and principles. As the guidebook grew beyond 80 pages, I produced a shorter “playbook” to represent our visual branding more concisely for sharing with external content creators (available for view upon request). To streamline the workflow of content producers, I created a reference book of technical specs needed to produce common print and digital media. |
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Click to view guidebook
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Click to view spec book
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Tiered subbrands for museum donor groups
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OPPORTUNITY
As a nonprofit, the California Academy of Sciences relies on donations to support many of its programs. When seeking to attract more donors and build loyalty, it decided on creating three tiers for donor support. SOLUTION Drawing upon audience insights, I created the visual system for the donor tiers, with wordmarks, graphic motifs, colorways, and typography that works within the museum’s larger brand. I also helped with the naming of these tiers. Each tier’s visual system is designed to resonate with its audience, from family-friendly to highly sophisticated. |
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For the most family-oriented donor tier, a bold, chunky wordmark works with a thick circle motif and photos of charismatic animals to create a fun and friendly tone. Bright green, a primary brand color for the museum, is dominant in these communications for the museum’s largest donor audience.
Click to view brochure
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For larger gifts, a thinner type weight and circle motif integrate with photos of plants to present a more sophisticated look. The circle motif is positioned in ways that signal upward momentum and leadership. Oranges and yellows dominate, suggesting optimism and vibrant energy.
Click to view brochure
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This is the most elevated tier, gifts of $100,000+ are required to join. A wordmark in small caps pairs with a small circle to signal elegance and exclusivity. Close-up photos of gems and minerals represent a deep, precious connection with nature. Rich purples and royal blues evoke a sense of luxury.
Click to view brochure
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For collateral not specific to a tier of giving, I extended the circle concept
with graphic shapes and photos, and applied a more general typography style:
with graphic shapes and photos, and applied a more general typography style:
Identity for teen program
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OPPORTUNITY
Design is a powerful tool for change, and we need more diverse voices in this field. During a team meeting, my colleagues and I were discussing our paths to design, and how we would have pursued design earlier if we had been encouraged and educated about as teens. We decided to launch a poster contest to encourage Bay Area high school students to explore graphic design and celebrate diversity. To promote this new program, we needed branding to reflect our goal and appeal to a teen audience. SOLUTION I developed a bold, playful wordmark and visual system to suggest that design can be fun and approachable, and helped to design all print and digital collateral in this identity for this first-ever program. I wrote the copy and designed the exhibits for a webpage meant to inspire teens to explore the fundamentals of graphic design. I also designed a variety of graphics for promotion on email and social media, award certificates, and artwork for button-making (which I proposed as a free activity for all). As part of a team, I also helped to assemble free learning resources for students, including webinars. |
Winning posters on display in the Academy (background illustrations by Alexander Vidal)
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Logo, identity, and stylebook for study center
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OPPORTUNITY
The Child Study Center of New York is a nonprofit that provides educational support for preschool students with special needs. Its executive director wanted a fresh, modern logo and visual identity that would show the organization’s inclusiveness, playfulness, and friendliness. SOLUTION I designed a trio of cheerful, childlike faces in vibrant colors, which could be applied playfully in multiple contexts, and produced a style guidebook. Unfortunately, the project was dropped after a change in organizational leadership. |
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Logo and usage guidebook for science lab
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OPPORTUNITY
The Borevitz Lab is a team of plant scientists who use cutting-edge technologies to develop gene-based solutions for landscape issues. With its expanding production of digital media, the group needed a logo to convey its work themes while being distinctive at any scale—from smartphones to auditorium presentation screens. SOLUTION I designed a logo inspired by computer motherboards and forest trees, representing the lab's commitment to researching natural systems with technological tools. The logo shows trees in different growth stages supporting each other, representing the lab’s highly inclusive, collaborative spirit. The shape of the B mimics the shape of an SD memory card, a staple for the lab. I also produced a logo usage guidebook. |
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