CORPORATE DESIGN FOR SCHOOLS: MARKET YOUR SCHOOL

Our answer to this: Yes. But under the premise that the design creates identification, provides orientation for students, teachers and parents alike and helps to give the school a recognition value. Why? Because education is in demand where the offer is convincing. From our point of view, corporate design is therefore more important than ever for schools today.

Over the last few years, the education sector has steadily developed towards individual responsibility for the learning process. This has also significantly raised the expectations of students and parents of their own educational institutions. It is therefore becoming increasingly important for schools and universities to invest in their external perception. This begins with the logo and ideally ends in a school atmosphere that authentically reflects the values and vision of the educational institution. In order to survive in the education market, they must therefore position themselves clearly.

Especially for schools, a meaningful self-presentation is becoming increasingly important. In business and in the higher education sector, companies invest a lot of time and money in marketing to reach their target groups as effectively as possible. In contrast, marketing has a low priority in many schools. This is probably due to the fact that so far, recruiting new students has not played a major role.

Today, things look different: Due to economic and political circumstances, educational institutions have to do more than just “good work in the classroom” to be successful. They must compete for students. More and more schools have to close because students are missing and communities have to save money. With an income per student, even the recruitment of one additional student could save a school from closing down.

Therefore, competing for students is also a competition for the votes of parents who want to give their children the best possible educational opportunities. Good teaching and educational quality is no longer enough. Because that is what students and parents expect. It is much more about values, structure and processes in daily school life. The constant changes in educational ideals, restructuring and expectations therefore place great demands on the adaptability of schools.

The perception of a school is therefore increasingly becoming the decisive “success factor” of a school. Like other companies, schools should therefore see themselves as a brand. Because the anchoring of image and public relations work in the mission statement is crucial for the success of a brand.

The graphic implementation of an independent school atmosphere as well as a serious and clear presentation of the school’s profile and its own strengths should play a major role in the positioning of a school in order to set itself apart from the competition. After all, in addition to differentiation, the presentation of an institution is also responsible for direct conclusions about its professionalism, atmosphere and expected performance. A corporate design for schools can not only convey information and emotions, but also guide decision-making processes.

Last year we at Hi-TiDE™ took a closer look at the challenges of educational institutions. In doing so, we focused on the perception and self-portrayal of these institutions.

Together with our first customers from this sector, we were able to develop a great One Pager from a primary school website, for example, which lacked structure and identity, and which reflects the school’s identity in every detail. To do this, we combined the school’s distinctive architecture with a creative approach that perfectly integrates the school’s mission statement. A new web design turned into a comprehensive relaunch of all design elements. The result: a colorful brand world with concise typography, a clear design language and a unique visual world that provides an authentic and personal insight into the everyday life of the elementary school. During the conception phase, this project was especially dear to our hearts because we were able to supervise the elementary school from A to Z. Starting with the strategic orientation, the design of the color worlds, typography, business equipment and advertising material to the programming of the final website.

On the other hand, we were able to develop a dynamic identity from a high school website using the concept of school as (future) space, which promises success through recognition and orientation. In keeping with the constant change to which a future-oriented grammar school is exposed, we created a word mark for the EVB grammar school in Großhansdorf, which is constantly being rebuilt. It can therefore be used in many different ways within the design grid. In addition, we have supplemented the word mark with a dynamic picture mark that is based on the basic layout of the school grounds. For this project, we were also able to capture the special features of the school and put them in an authentic setting through a professional shooting on site. In contrast to the elementary school, we were not responsible for the technical implementation of the website in this case.

Our third school project is the Otto Hahn School in Hamburg. After an elementary school and a secondary school, the first district school is now following. OHS is a school with a variety of origins, languages, religions and cultures. Therefore, we are developing a brand design that does justice to this diversity and are guided by the school’s mission statement when developing the new visual identity. In addition to a new visual brand, we create the entire brand design plus business equipment, merchandise and wall design. In addition, we are also responsible for the design and implementation of the new website.

We are currently working on the development of a comprehensive corporate design for a comprehensive school in Hamburg. The increasing demand shows that corporate design will play an increasingly important role for schools in the future. Educational institutions set the course for the future of their pupils and students. The increasing competition, higher demands and rising expectations have long since affected more than just commercial enterprises. The educational landscape is also constantly changing. Educational institutions should therefore know how to position themselves clearly in order to strengthen their personality profile in addition to performance and quality. Well thought-out corporate design for schools can be so simple, because every school has its own characteristics and strengths. At Hi-TiDE™, we at Hi-TiDE™have made it our task to recognize these and to bring them into focus in our design.