THE VERA PROJECT REBRAND
TIMELINE
10 weeks
TEAM
Student Project
10 weeks
TEAM
Student Project
ROLES
Branding
Environmental
Layout
Illustration
Branding
Environmental
Layout
Illustration
AT A GLANCE
The Vera Project is a nonprofit, all-ages music venue and youth-led arts space was founded in 2001. Programming and spaces at The Vera Project include an art gallery, silkscreen studio, sound engineering classes, and much more. A majority of Vera’s audience are teenagers living through tumultuous years of change. Vera acts as a safe space where they can come into their own and find their groove.GOALS
Establish a new visual direction and identity system for this vibrant music and arts space that reflects its community’s values and tastes.
PARING DOWN A VISUAL SMORGASBORD
The Vera Project embraces all identities and and fosters collaboration; however, their branding is inconsistent across their channels and venue.SOLUTION
A new set of brand guidelines and visual assets inspired by The Vera Project’s values that seek to bring cohesion and clear communication to its visitors.PROCESS
FIELDWORK
The first step taken to kick off this project was, naturally, a visit to The Vera Project. Navigating its physical space and talking to their employees was crucial in order to get to know their brand and guiding principles. Such words that stood out were “DIY ethic” and “agency”. Another vital insight that arose out of conversation with folks at Vera was the idea of empowerment and skill learning. The workshops and classes have set the foundation of so many careers within the local community and many attribute their roots to Vera.
The first step taken to kick off this project was, naturally, a visit to The Vera Project. Navigating its physical space and talking to their employees was crucial in order to get to know their brand and guiding principles. Such words that stood out were “DIY ethic” and “agency”. Another vital insight that arose out of conversation with folks at Vera was the idea of empowerment and skill learning. The workshops and classes have set the foundation of so many careers within the local community and many attribute their roots to Vera.
EXPLORIN’ TERRITORIES
The beginning phase consisted of working within a small group to create the brand’s mission statement, brand promise, and tonal territories. It was a new, engaging process that took a few iterations of refining. After much deliberation, the attributes chosen to embody Vera were creative, inclusive, and empowering.
These tonal territories visually embody the chosen attributes through the use color, texture, layering, and more. When viewing the creative territory, a sense of vibrancy is captured through the bright and saturated palette, energetic vibes are received through the active, scrappy photography, and the hand lettered typography gives an unrestrained feel.
The beginning phase consisted of working within a small group to create the brand’s mission statement, brand promise, and tonal territories. It was a new, engaging process that took a few iterations of refining. After much deliberation, the attributes chosen to embody Vera were creative, inclusive, and empowering.
These tonal territories visually embody the chosen attributes through the use color, texture, layering, and more. When viewing the creative territory, a sense of vibrancy is captured through the bright and saturated palette, energetic vibes are received through the active, scrappy photography, and the hand lettered typography gives an unrestrained feel.
From this point, we branched off and I worked solo to come up with the pared down concept: Find Your Groove.
BRANDMARK
With Find Your Groove as my guiding light, I set off on a logomark mission. I began creating different lockups of wordmarks with various typefaces. Following this I took the lockups that I was satisfied with and moved them into Procreate. At this stage I began iterating off of the lockups to create more illustrative versions.
With Find Your Groove as my guiding light, I set off on a logomark mission. I began creating different lockups of wordmarks with various typefaces. Following this I took the lockups that I was satisfied with and moved them into Procreate. At this stage I began iterating off of the lockups to create more illustrative versions.
The final and primary brandmark is seen below. It’s acting as a visual metaphor for potential and optimism through its platform structure. The letterforms are jumping up from the base with energy — ready to take off.
The offset colors invoke printmaking techniques and “registration” skills. Specifically, this offset is a shout-out to Vera’s silkscreen workshops. Its complementary blue and orange colors give an energy and radiance.
COLOR + ASSETS
Creating a system of graphic elements that lived together as a family was a crucial component of the design process. The elements are composed of textures and varying line widths — working to show Vera’s creative and inclusive qualities.
Creating a system of graphic elements that lived together as a family was a crucial component of the design process. The elements are composed of textures and varying line widths — working to show Vera’s creative and inclusive qualities.
VERA IN ACTION
MERCH AND SWAG
Buttons, tote bag, and stickers.
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Buttons, tote bag, and stickers.
WEBSITE
Landing page and secondary screen.
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Landing page and secondary screen.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Main exterior entrance and north side facing street view.
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Main exterior entrance and north side facing street view.
NEWSLETTER
The monthly Vera publication, the soundwave, brings volunteer written content, events calendar, and more.
The monthly Vera publication, the soundwave, brings volunteer written content, events calendar, and more.
PROJECT TAKEAWAYS
The Vera Project Rebrand was the perfect project that allowed me to create a library of design icons. Realizing a kind of design library was needed was a realization moment that proved to be vital to this project’s success.
If this rebrand were to come to fruition in reality, then I would look to customer satisfaction through surveys and testimonials to measure success, as it would allow community feedback and qualitative data. In addition, I would look to social media and site metrics to help determine if rebranding was a success or not (ie class involvement and sign-ups, email list subscribers, social media reach and engagement).
If this rebrand were to come to fruition in reality, then I would look to customer satisfaction through surveys and testimonials to measure success, as it would allow community feedback and qualitative data. In addition, I would look to social media and site metrics to help determine if rebranding was a success or not (ie class involvement and sign-ups, email list subscribers, social media reach and engagement).
