For 21 years, Capital Partners for Education was a pioneer in advancing economic mobility and social equity. Through a combination of innovative mentoring programs and a deep focus on addressing systemic racism in the education system, CPE stood as a champion of low-income, high-achieving high school students in “the academic middle”—those who are not at risk of failing, and so fall through the cracks. After wrapping up a strategic planning process, CPE was ready to expand its reach to support college students and young adults in their careers. There was just one problem: “Capital Partners for Education” didn’t speak to CPE’s work and created confusion that they were a financial Institution. Together, we created a new brand to propel them forward.
Since CPE’s founding, the landscape of high-school student mentoring nonprofits had dramatically increased, with brands like iMentor and Peer Forward carving out well-established spaces for themselves. With CPE moving into new spaces of its own and redefining the field, it was our responsibility to position the brand to stand out in a crowded field and also offer a compelling alternative. To point the way forward, we conducted internal and external brand research to understand perceptions of the brand and the ecosystem in which it existed. We then led collaborative workshops and developed a Blue Ocean Canvas differentiation strategy that moved Capital Partners for Education into a clearly-defined, new space.
With Capital Partners for Education moving into new spaces of its own and redefining the field, it was our responsibility to position the brand to stand out in a crowded field and also offer a compelling alternative
With our brand positioning and strategy clearly defined, it was now time to take the big leap into moving beyond decades of history and creating a new name for Capital Partners for Education. To align our naming strategy with our brand strategy, we first established the two essential aspects of the brand—the personality and attributes that Capital Partners for Education wanted to project, and the feelings of their audiences that CPE wanted to cultivate through experiences with them. We then explored countless options and configurations of ideas to develop brand names that both embodied the brand spirit and audience experience—and that would stand out in a crowded field. After a few rounds of ideas and trademark searches to ensure ownability, Capital Partners for Education was no more and “Spark the Journey” was born.
“Spark The Journey” sent a clear signal; that the uninspiring brand era of Capital Partners for Education had come to a close. And what was laid out in front of us was a wide-open space to chart an exciting new path. Working from our brand strategy to align visual branding and brand messaging, our design team got to work exploring concepts that equaled the energy in the brand’s new name. Spark the Journey’s new branding leads with bold type, colorful enthusiasm, and ethical imagery that centers on the diverse community of young people that they stand with. And a library of playful, contemporary graphic elements adds youthfulness and fun—creating an optimistic brand that’s helping build a bright future with young people.
In parallel to visual design, our brand writing team translated the ideas and goals established in our brand strategy to develop Spark The Journey’s core messages and their voice. From the “why” that defines why Spark the Journey exists, to the core brand idea, mission, vision, and values, brand audiences, issue framing, and the brand experience, we created a brand messaging platform that connects the why with the how—and speaks to the brand’s passion and purpose with a clear and confident voice. Once we had it word-perfect, we then designed a Brand Vision Book to engage staff and supporters with the new brand and energize them to be advocates in carrying it forward.
