Minnesota West College

 

sought to reimagine and modernize its brand. We created their brand strategy, platform, and visual identity.

monogram logo
brand summary of elements

COLLEGE REBRAND

Minnesota West College is located at five campuses and two learning centers in southwest Minnesota. Minnesota West sought to reimagine its brand, beginning with an update to its visual identity. During the discovery phase, we heard from faculty, staff, and students that the existing logo appeared outdated and no longer represented the college as a modern and contemporary institution. Object was tasked with creating a new visual identity to help signal the college's transformation.

The college's athletics mascot is the Blue Jays. Utilizing the brand's heritage and legacy of a blue color palette, we evolved the colors to match those of a bluebird. The colors are pulled from nature and align with the athletics program, all while being WCAG AA compliant.

The brand has an entirely new visual design language made up of a new logo, a new brand typeface, and a graphic motif. The new primary logo is an iconic MW. This new symbol becomes the unifying logo for both athletics and academics.

WEST ARROW

The West Arrow is used as the primary graphic motif. The graphic element is used to mask photography, frame photography, in patterns, and as a reference for iconography. The arrow points to southwest Minnesota as a visual cue to the location of the campuses in the context of Minnesota. The arrows are also a derivative from the previous logo that had angles pointing southwest.

tagline

BRAND PLATFORM

We crafted a brand narrative for the college. Starting with a brand purpose. To empower students to go from good to better to their very best—because we’re at our best when we help them achieve theirs.

The brand promise tells a story of betterment. Colleges help students to become their best versions.

Brand Mantra: We all start somewhere. An interest. A burgeoning talent. A dream, just waiting to be pursued. You’re probably just beginning to figure it out. That’s good—because good is a great place to start. The next step? Getting better. Learning new skills. Mastering your craft. Pushing yourself towards something bigger. That’s where Minnesota West comes in. With hands-on training, small class sizes, and a community that’s invested in your success, we help you turn effort into expertise and ambition into achievement. And when you put in the work, when you strive for more, when you push past “better” and reach your full potential—that’s when you’re at your best. And at Minnesota West, what we’re best at is helping you unlock yours.

brand campaign
marketing campaign
guidelines

Skills

  • Brand Discovery & Research
  • Brand Strategy & Positioning
  • Visual Identity System
  • Brand Guidelines
  • Brand Applications
  • Marketing Platform
  • Iconography
  • Brand Training

Details

Team
  • Garrick Willhite
  • Bryn Bundlie
  • Thom Kordonowy
  • Kristina Gonzalez
Client
  • Minnesota West College
Project
  • Visual Identity System & Brand Development
Year
  • 2025