positive learning collaborative
Engaging passionate educators
The Positive Learning Collaborative brand celebrates the joy and calm that comes when teachers serve the social and emotional needs of students.
Services
Brand Strategy
Messaging
Visual Identity
Brand Guidelines
Website
Promotional Materials
Brand Strategy
Messaging
Visual Identity
Brand Guidelines
Website
Promotional Materials
Ultravirgo project team
Marina Csomor
Patrick Durgin-Bruce
Cynthia Escalante
Seth Margolis
Benjamin Tuttle
Marina Csomor
Patrick Durgin-Bruce
Cynthia Escalante
Seth Margolis
Benjamin Tuttle
BACKGROUND
Since 2013, the Positive Learning Collaborative has partnered with New York City schools to ensure that every child develops the social, emotional, and academic skills needed to succeed in school and life. PLC's expert team includes social workers, counselors, psychologists, and teachers with decades of experience in local school communities. Through healing-centered training and support, PLC provides educators and administrators, as well as families, with the skills, tools, and mindset needed to turn their schools into joyful communities in which to learn and grow.
Before
Though PLC is a school-based initiative, its trainings and services are tailored to adults — to educators and caregivers, not students. Most of PLC's visuals, however, were childlike and generic in appearance, more suited for a kindergarten classroom.
Though PLC is a school-based initiative, its trainings and services are tailored to adults — to educators and caregivers, not students. Most of PLC's visuals, however, were childlike and generic in appearance, more suited for a kindergarten classroom.
CHALLENGE
Growing pains
In schools, PLC had a reputation for being knowledgeable and approachable, yet their communications were full of disparate messaging and clipart visuals that conveyed otherwise. After nearly a decade in existence — and with an expansion into more schools on the horizon — the PLC team wanted to reflect the proven success of their work. We knew it was time to grow up the PLC brand.
THE BIG IDEA
Transforming student futures.
Transforming schools
We uncovered that the root of the PLC brand is the team's ability to empower schools to transform — from classroom crises and educational inequities to access and opportunity for all. With a starburst-like logomark and mosaic background patterns, distinctive organic shapes permeate the visual system, representing the diversity of PLC school communities and the collaboration inherent in the team's work.
Built in flexibility
A flexible color palette can be used monochromatically or colorfully — and feel empathetic or confident — depending on the ideal tone or intended audience.
Authentic representation
We directed photoshoots in PLC schools to celebrate the educators and students who have been directly supported by the team and create an authentic photo library for the brand.
Raising visibility
PLC has more visibility throughout its schools than ever before — with a custom welcome kit sent to each school, and items such as branded notebooks and educational posters helping the team to gain recognition and momentum.
Community
Primary brand graphics feature Voronoi patterns, which hint at both individual personalities and strength in community. Leveraging an open source pattern generator makes it easy to create unique brand artwork for each item. Try it out!
Brand guidelines sample pages
IMPACT
Since the launch of our rebrand, PLC has continued to grow. Today, the initiative provides intensive support to 35 schools citywide, and in 2022, PLC expanded to 120 additional schools to offer healing-centered professional learning.
