A logo becomes a learning experience

Brand Identity
For four decades, Cedar River Montessori has focused on fostering lifelong learning skills in students—with an emphasis on environmental stewardship and social responsibility. The independent K-8 school is very highly regarded and has a track record of developing engaged, global thinkers.
However, when Cedar River contacted Chalkbox, its branding was outdated: The visuals did not reflect the school’s values, its forward-thinking approach, or the exceptional education it provides. The brand needed to match where the school was at the moment, but also speak to where it was headed in the future. Another key concern was addressing the evolving sensibilities of both parents and students.


Discovery and research
We worked closely with Cedar River Montessori staff to learn about its audience, business goals, and vision for growth, rolling all of the detail into a creative brief to guide the project. Then we performed extensive research into the designs of local and national competitors, which uncovered several common themes (and not necessarily positive ones):
- Reliance on primary colors
- Poorly rendered cartoons
- Plenty of cliché elements, particularly locally—pine trees, images of the Space Needle, etc.
When we began sketching, we knew we wanted to avoid these easy choices. Primary colors would feel too basic, a cartoonish design potentially could undermine the image of the school as a place of thoughtful learning, and rote imagery such as trees would fail to differentiate Cedar River from its competitors.


