Chatham Hall

The Challenge

Chatham Hall, a boarding school in southern Virginia, is dedicated to celebrating each individual student by prioritizing time and space for friendships and experiences. This approach has consistently produced bold, confident graduates who go on to make a significant impact in the world. However, their remote location, despite its many benefits, had become a branding challenge, leading to the perception that the school was for shy, less-motivated students.

The Insight

Chatham Hall’s existing logo and visual identity honored the school’s traditions, but these visuals were not fully capturing the courageous and forward-looking spirit of the institution. We identified an opportunity to better express Chatham Hall’s courageous, compassionate, and dynamic brand personality. With the admissions theme “Step Into Your Power,” we encouraged Chatham Hall to embody this message not just in words, but also through visual tools.

The Journey

Our collaboration on visual identity and an admissions campaign provided Chatham Hall with new ways to clearly communicate their powerful outcomes to prospective families. This effort conveyed the message that at Chatham Hall, students can feel unstoppable. The updated shield maintained tradition and legacy while embracing new ways of thinking and working. Vibrant colors and a patch-like pattern on digital and printed materials highlighted the inclusivity and diversity of the Chatham Hall community. Varied typography created a sense of energy and movement, with bold fonts that conveyed the courage and power that students feel at Chatham.

The photography captured different points of view, perspectives, and scales, showcasing the community in action and demonstrating how they inspire and support one another.

The Impact

A brand refresh can have many positive effects on a school, but one of the most heartwarming outcomes was the unexpected success of Chatham Hall’s School Store, which sold out of new branded merchandise before the end of the first semester, confirmation of the pride their community feels about being part of Chatham Hall, expressed in this powerful way.

In past decades, branding attempts have come and gone, but this one was amazingly accurate and our staff are proud to have new tools and language to use with families. This rollout has truly been wonderful and we so appreciate all of your efforts.

Beth Stefanik, as Chief Communications Officer at Chatham Hall

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