CESA 2, Cooperative Educational Service Agency 2, is a nonprofit that provides services and support to its 74 member school districts throughout Dane, Green, Jefferson, Kenosha, Racine, Rock, and Walworth counties in southern Wisconsin. Working in partnership with school districts, universities, and businesses, CESA 2 strives to be a leader of educational leaders.
My role, as the Visual Media Specialist, was to create visual materials for print & digital purposes. Due to CESA 2 being a public entity, designs are required to be ADA compliant. I have cultivated the knowledge & skill to create designs accessible to everyone.
CESA 2
Shortly after joining CESA 2, I created a proposal for a light rebrand. The parameters were that I could not change the fonts, the main colors in the color palette, or the logo. This is the proposal that I created, laying out the thought process in the changes, as well as providing examples of what new branded materials could look like. This rebrand was approved by the executive team with minor changes. After approval, I created a Brand Guide document.
Brand Guidelines
CESA 2 did not have brand guidelines prior to me joining the team. They had a logo, color palette, and header and body fonts chosen, but no style guide. There was a design style that was being followed in branded materials, however, it was not representative of CESA 2’s brand strategy. It also did not ensure contrast requirements were being met for accessibility purposes.
The Problem
My goal with the Brand Guide was to establish and demonstrate clear stylistic choices, rework the color palette, and illustrate how to use the fonts in a way that shows clear hierarchy. All of this while prioritizing ADA compliance. In the creation of this document, I kept in mind that not only will it be utilized by the marketing team, but the agency as a whole. Many consultants create their own educational materials and presentations so I needed to create it in a way that can be understood throughout the agency.
Strategy & Approach
The Senior Director Poster Series were made during a time of revisioning in the agency. They lay out and illustrate the Programs & Services department’s Vision, Equity Statement, and Five Bold Steps to a new approach to the department.
Senior Director Poster Series
Below, you can see marketing and educational materials where the brand guidelines were used such as flyers, social posts, banners, and stickers.