library branding project
This project, which I completed during my second year of University, revolves around re-branding one of the Austin Public Library branches. The branch that I worked on was the Howson branch (below) located in West Austin in the neighborhood of Tarrytown.
The goal of the project was to learn about the process behind branding an organizational entity.
The First Steps
The first stage of the process was to spend as much time as I could learning about, experiencing, and interacting with the Howson branch itself.
The best way to do this was to start by using the library for its intended purpose, so I began by studying at the library for a few days. This allowed me to get a general feel of the atmosphere of the library, its employees, and its users. Then, I moved on to interviewing the employees and users of the library. This gave me insight as to what people thought about the library and how they interacted with it.
After conducting my research, I came to a general conclusion: Howson is a family-friendly branch with a tight-knit community, warm atmosphere, and welcoming attitude. However, it lacked a unique and holistic visual identity.
With this conclusion, I was now able to start working on creating graphic elements for the library's branding material.
Brand Elements
The various brand elements I created are designed to highlight Howson's sense of community and warmth. Themes of softness and warm tones are used throughout.
Howsonites
The characters, which I refer to as Howsonites, represent the community and family-centric nature of the Howson branch. They are designed to be modular, easy to animate, and customizable for children. They are meant to be friendly faces that encompass what this library branch stands for.
Wordmark
The wordmark of the Howson branch utilizes a soft and playful typeface that represents the inviting atmosphere of the library.
Branding Material: Posters
Once I had finished designing the elements I planned on using for the branding material of the branch, I set them into action by making two inspirational posters. The posters are meant to be hung up inside the library to encourage reading. In the posters you can see the various graphic elements harmonizing.
Branding Material: Animated Poster
To further exemplify the versatility of the Howsonite characters, I also decided to animate one of the posters in a GIF format.
