Challenge Summary
Welcome to the HBS Digital Initiative Logo and Branding Design Challenge. We are looking for your help in developing an exciting logo and brand strategy for Harvard Busines School's (HBS) new Digital Initiative (D/I). As a start-up within a larger organization with a very established brand, we have no visual identity of our own and are eager for your help in beginning to develop one. The fundamental tension we face is being a relatively scrappy and more technology-oriented start-up at the Harvard Business School, which is associated with authority, stability, big business and non-tech fields such as finance, rather than innovation, entreneurship, inclusivity, creativity and other associations we value highly. Naturally, we appreciate our home and want it to be perceived in those ways, too, and part of our job is to create those associations for ourselves and extend them to the school through our work. That tension is manifest in our branding, how much or how little it is tied to HBS own visual identity. On that front, we don't have a clear answer -- the logo/brand may be closer to HBS own brand guidelines (lots of information is available at http://www.hbs.edu/marketing/), or it may be quite distinct, although ideally would at least "get along" with HBS rules (eg, colors, fonts shouldn't directly clash if they are exhibited alongside HBS branding).
More about the Digital Initiative is below, but we wanted to note that the use of the name in the logo is flexible -- "Digital Initiative" isn't exactly meaningful, and what we do aims to go beyond technology, digital or otherwise. It may or may not change over time, so while we are open to building upon it, we are not committed to tying the logo tightly to it.
Round 1
We are looking for a one consistent message within each submission (you can submit multiple times)
- Logo examples/sketches.
- List any branding guidelines, colors, fonts you would suggest.
- Notes around your branding strategy.
Note: Make sure to organize your submission so it makes sense "tells a story" of your branding strategy.
Round 2
Final Designs plus any checkpoint feedback
- Final Logo.
- Final Branding guidelines, colors, fonts etc.
- Notes around your branding strategy.
Note: Make sure to organize your submission so it makes sense "tells a story" of your branding strategy.
Mission & Identity:
The Digital Initiative seeks to understand and inform the digital transformation of business around the world through a dynamic mix of collaborative research, teaching and engagement that extend and leverage our community, while serving as a catalyst and facilitator for the School’s digitally-inspired and empowered innovation of its practice. D/I is an HBS start-up that explores the re-invention of business in a digital, networked, and media-rich environment, hoping to learn and share novel insights, approaches, and values with the business world and beyond. We traverse units, disciplines, methods, and reach beyond the school to unite a diverse group of scholars and practitioners around this evolving space. Our commitment is to connecting rigorous research with teaching and practice to achieve real world impact among entrepreneurs and policy makers, innovators and researchers, and technologists and users.
Focus & Mode:
Our expansive view of ‘Digital’ encompasses phenomena such as networks, media (new, social, and otherwise), mobility, innovation, data, cloud services, information infrastructure, and stretches beyond bits matter to associated strategies, interconnections, gatekeepers, leaders, crowds, creators, designers, platforms, property rights and more. What are the broad business implications of the confluence of changing technologies, markets, norms, and policies? How do we think about business in all its facets differently in a digitally networked, media rich, dynamic and interactive, globally interconnected world? What related changes do we see in sustainability, scale, markets, and market-creation, innovation, ownership, content, news, citizenship, privacy, and identity? What can business learn from the Digital experience, and what can be learned from business? As we plunge into a mix of cross-cutting discovery, learning and engagement, D/I is informed by the values and practices from the Internet ecosystem, embracing the potential of networks and platforms, embodying the virtues of user-centered design and agile development, and knowing the power of testing, collaboration, openness, and interoperability.
Core Brand Message:
We want folks to think: creativity, openness, networks, rigor, innovation, engagement.
Brand Personality:
We are smart, creative, knowledgeable, impact-oriented, fun -- Harvardy and HBSy only in the good ways.
Branding: (reference link)
Branding is about establishing memories and recall. Establishing a consistent look and feel to your deliverables will help us build a recognizable brand
Challenge Goal:
- We are looking for you to create a logo and brand that can help drive our new venture online and on paper, on stickers and t-shirts.
- We want the Digital Initiative to be recognizable by its logo, style, colors, and message.
- Deliver a clear message about D/I and its goals.
- Excitement!
Items we need you to think about:
- Ideas and approach for the logo.
- Ideas for enhancing the D/I brand.
- Consistency and clarity of the message.
HBS Branding Guideline:
- http://www.hbs.edu/marketing/
- http://www.hbs.edu/marketing/social-media/
Logo Requirements:
- The graphic must represent the target audiences stated below in "Target Audience"
- Please stay away from gradients, as they will not be able be easily reproduced across all media
- You must show your logo on a white and black background (You MUST use the logo template provided)
- The logo must be shown in various forms on the template (different color choices, layout, font use etc.)
- You must identify your colors theme in the submission.
- Designs must be created as VECTOR artwork so they can be resized without a loss of quality. Make sure your logo quality is not diminished when scaled up or down.
Logo Reference
http://conceptgenius.com/practices-logo-design/
http://tannerchristensen.com/rules-for-logo-design/
http://justcreativedesign.com/2008/12/02/logo-design-resources/
Supporting Documents:
- Attached Digital Initiative Summary (Digital Initiative Summary.zip)
- Attached Logo Template (logo-branding-template.ai.zip)
Target Audience:
- Entrepreneurs
- Innovators
- Geeks
- Scholars
- Proxy: HBS Alumni 3-10 years out, who are engaged or interested in digital transformation of business and all it entails
- Practitioners and Corporate types
Judging Criteria:
- Requirements: Does your logo meet the requirements as stated in the description.
- Quality: Does your logo look creative, appealing and convey what Harvard School Business is all about?
- Concept: Does your logo present a new and interesting concept? Is it simple, yet memorable?
- How clear is your brand, strategy and message.
ASK us questions in the forums!
Submission & Source Files
Preview Image
Please create your preview image as one (1) 1024x1024px JPG or PNG file in RGB color mode at 72dpi and place a screenshot of your submission within it.
Submission File
Submit JPG/PNG image files based on contest submission requirements stated above
Source Files
All original VECTOR source files of the submitted design. Files should be created in Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape and saved as layered AI or EPS files. Your source files must meet these requirements:
1) The AI/EPS logo file with text intact (not outlined).
2) The AI/EPS logo file with text in outlined format.
Final Fixes
As part of the final fixes phase you may be asked to modify your graphics (sizes or colors) or modify overall colors.
Please read the challenge specification carefully and watch the forums for any questions or feedback concerning this challenge. It is important that you monitor any updates provided by the client or Studio Admins in the forums. Please post any questions you might have for the client in the forums.