Brand Identity & Communications Strategy
A brand refresh and communications strategy for an international education nonprofit. We worked with International Student Conferences, Inc. to update their visual identity, develop consistent organizational messaging, and create practical communications guidelines for staff and student leaders.
The Challenge
For more than 90 years, International Student Conferences (ISC) has fostered international understanding through student-led exchange programs. However, with three distinct conferences and audiences spanning countries and generations, ISC lacked a consistent organizational identity.
ISC needed to modernize its visual brand while honoring its history and develop a clear communications strategy to engage students, alumni, donors, and partners. With a small team, the organization also needed practical guidelines to maintain consistency across its programs.
What We Built
We worked with ISC to refresh its visual identity and develop a comprehensive communications strategy that would bring greater consistency to its messaging across all three conference programs.
• Visual identity: A refreshed logo, updated color palette and typography, supported by brand guidelines for digital and print materials.
• Communications strategy: A 27-page roadmap outlining organizational goals, audience priorities, messaging and channel recommendations.
• Editorial guidelines: Practical guidance on brand voice, tone and accessible language.
• Staff training: Resources and training to help staff and student leaders implement the new brand and communications strategy.
Client
International Student Conferences, Inc.
Sector
- Education
- Nonprofit
- Peacebuilding
Services
- Communications strategy
- Brand messaging
- Audience research
- Staff Training
Timeline
3 months
Craft Decisions That Mattered
Accessibility by default: Readable type, logical hierarchy, print-friendly worksheets, and low-bandwidth options ensured everyone could participate fully.
Context over jargon: Examples came from partners’ work, not generic case studies. Templates reflected the reality of small team capacity.
Immediate utility: Each session ended with a concrete artifact—an audience map, a message draft, or a first-month plan—that partners could use right away.
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