Cognia

Year:: 2019
Industry:: Nonprofit

(Services)

Intro

Simply Smart

Confident

Passionate

Approachable

When Cognia first approached us, they were still two separate educational organizations: AdvancED, the world’s leading accreditation nonprofit, and Measured Progress, a renowned provider of student assessments.

Before

After

While there was no shortage of expertise and passion among the two groups, they needed clarity on moving forward with a combined identity.

We conducted in-depth interviews with dozens of stakeholders to distill the organizations’ shared values, and carried out extensive research to uncover the opportunity afforded by the merger.

Ultimately it was clear that the resulting organization would be uniquely capable to influence global education on a grand scale, setting the pace and forging best practices for millions of teachers and their students.

“Cognia” derives from the Latin word for knowledge, cognitio. Central to the organization’s core purpose, it’s a nod to knowledge’s power as a democratizing force, freeing students from their circumstances and backgrounds and opening up opportunities.

With Measured Progress' focus on the individual learner added to AdvancED's global network, Cognia became the only organization that can connect the dots between all aspects of the educational system. Their ability to dial into exactly what learners, institutions, and districts need inspired the core concept of a dial symbol, custom logotype, and a responsive identity system.

Not only does the dial function as a zooming and storytelling mechanism, it also forms patterns to represent the unique roadmaps that Cognia builds for each client, whether at the school or state level.

The new identity boldly assumes a happy red. This hue is unique in the industry, while steering clear of the "teacher's red pen" connotations.

The decision was made to shift their technical and academic voice to a more engaging approach that sets them apart—and sets them up to clearly communicate their value to audiences the world over.