St. Aidan’s Catholic Academy approached Creo to support the brand development of FutureReady, a new education initiative connecting Sunderland’s business community with young people aged 11-18, while equipping students with the skills, confidence and mindset needed for life beyond the classroom.
The challenge was to create an authentic brand that connected with students, avoiding the corporate feel often associated with traditional educational initiatives. To ensure the brand resonated with its audience, we placed students at the heart of the process, working with a dedicated student panel and giving them a voice in the creative direction. As a result, FutureReady became a brand designed with students rather than for them.
Crucially, this wasn’t just about creating something that looked good. The identity needed a clear story and purpose, with research playing a vital role in shaping why it looks good and feels the way it does.
This was never just a logo project; it was about building a brand students would genuinely connect with. For FutureReady to succeed, students needed to see themselves in it.
We ran a brand session with our student panel to understand what they responded to, which brands they admired and what tone of voice resonated most. This gave us a direct insight into the audience rather than relying on assumptions. The research revealed three key themes: direction and progress, language that spoke to students rather than at them and an inclusive identity accessible to everyone.
The insights became the foundation of our creative strategy, leading us away from predictable, stock-like careers imagery and towards a concept centred on guidance, growth and the journey ahead.
Guided by research, we developed two bold design directions, both rooted in the themes of direction, journey and inclusivity, and presented them to the student panel.
The chosen concept centred on a folded map, a subtle metaphor for guidance and progress.
The identity combined custom distorted typography inspired by map folds, an integrated arrow motif, a vibrant colour palette and directional graphic devices that reinforced the idea of a journey. Accessible, digital-first typography ensured the brand remained clear and inclusive across every touchpoint.
To demonstrate the concept in practice, we developed a suite of social and physical assets, including the first stage of the website with a FutureReady holding page.
After presenting the concepts, the student panel had a clear favourite. Their reaction was immediate, with students asking for stickers and badges before the session had even ended, showing the identity genuinely resonated with its audience. The concept was then presented to St Aidan’s stakeholders, who approved the final identity.
The brand was unveiled at a launch event, attended by key city stakeholders, where we presented alongside the students. The project received exceptional feedback, particularly for the authenticity of the story and the collaborative approach behind the brand. The launch also generated strong LinkedIn engagement, helping build awareness from the outset.
With the brand established, we’re now continuing to develop the FutureReady ecosystem through digital and physical assets, including student-inspired merchandise. As the initiative rolls out across the school, we’ll continue measuring its impact through student engagement and growth of its digital presence.
Get in touch and let’s see what we could create together.
