Central to Weatherhead’s new identity system is a custom-drawn logotype inspired by the duality of Weatherhead’s role as a research accelerator and strong supporter of deep-rooted, long-standing research. We worked to build this tension into the ‘W’ letterform, which incorporates arrow shapes in the negative space of the letterform, along with serifs that anchor the form in the opposite direction. Open to interpretation and fitted with contemporary proportions, the logotype feels fresh, modern, and well-matched for a Harvard-affiliated research center.
It was such a great collaborative process, that it really helped us see things about ourselves that could only have been noticed by someone from the outside looking in. Kristin Caulfield, Manager of Communications
It was such a great collaborative process, that it really helped us see things about ourselves that could only have been noticed by someone from the outside looking in.
The Weatherhead Center is the largest research center on Harvard’s campus, and as a result, needed help simplifying its complex brand hierarchy. Moth supported the center by retiring custom logos for projects, programs and research clusters, and instead, developed a strategic brand hierarchy with ‘Weatherhead’ at the center. The new system streamlines brand maintenance for the internal marketing team, and reinforces brand equity at the center level.
As part of a comprehensive brand toolkit, Moth developed a series of design templates to support the rollout and application of the new brand. In addition to refreshed color and photography, the brand templates leverage a new typographic palette, which includes a suite of typefaces that are distinctive, sophisticated, and all with full language support and extensive character sets, understanding the group’s global audience.
Brand strategy, visual identity, content development, template design