The Challenge
During the 2022-23 academic year, the UW-Madison Art Department required a unified visual identity system to streamline their communications. The department was producing a variety of materials to celebrate student and faculty accomplishments and promote upcoming events, but they lacked a codified set of design rules. The challenge was to work directly with department staff to write and design a comprehensive brand standard guide that would serve as the foundation for all future internal and external collateral, ensuring a cohesive aesthetic across diverse media.
The Strategic Approach
The strategy centered on establishing a strong, foundational design system before rolling out new promotional campaigns. By collaborating with the staff to define the department's visual voice, the approach ensured that the resulting brand guide was both authentic to the art program and highly practical. Once the core guidelines were established, the strategy shifted to immediate practical application—designing several advertising and collateral projects that acted as real-world proof of concept for the new brand standards.
Key Design Features
Comprehensive Brand Guide: The cornerstone of the project was the creation of a definitive manual that clearly outlined the rules for visual communication, codifying the department's visual identity for current and future use.
Unified Typography and Color Palette: The design implemented strict typographic hierarchies and a defined brand color palette. This ensured that whether an asset was celebrating an academic achievement or advertising a gallery event, it remained instantly recognizable as a UW-Madison Art Department communication.
Curated Imagery & Illustration: To reflect the creative nature of the department, the brand standards dictated a specific approach to photography and the integration of custom illustration elements. These artistic assets were used consistently to add visual interest and texture to the layouts.
Cohesive Cross-Platform Execution: The true test of the design system was its application. The project included the execution of three distinct collateral projects featured within the guide, demonstrating how the consistent use of the newly established elements successfully created a unified aesthetic across varying touchpoints and project goals.
The Result
The collaboration yielded a robust brand standard guide and a suite of successful promotional materials that successfully unified the UW-Madison Art Department's visual presence. By standardizing colors, typography, photography, and illustration, the project provided the staff with the tools necessary to maintain a highly professional, cohesive, and creatively appropriate aesthetic across all future academic and promotional touchpoints.
Client: University of Wisconsin-Madison Art Department
Industry: Higher Education & Fine Arts
Project: Brand Standard Guide & Marketing Collateral
