BRAND STRATEGY • NAMING • BRAND IDENTITY • COLLATERAL • COPYWRITING • PHOTOGRAPHY ART DIRECTION
Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences was suffering from an identity problem. Name and brand changes over the years had led to confusion and a lack of alumni solidarity. It was time for a reset.
The most recent incarnation of the university had been by its initials, KCUMB. After extensive research and audits, we learned that the long acronym and bold, more commercial-feeling design approach was lacking the academic gestalt that is deserving of a century old university. We recommended that they continue forward with the name Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences to maintain a sense of stability but introduce a new abridged acronym that reflects a more traditional university nomenclature: KCU.
For the visual brand identity design, we looked to the university’s legacy and introduced a new official seal that is a modified interpretation of past seals. The KCU logotype and custom asclepius was created for informal usage on student apparel and day-to-day communications.
