In 2020 UC Hastings, one of the nation’s premier law schools was ready to adopt a strategic plan that articulates a vitalizing vision for the years ahead, and they reached out to Molly Duggan Associates.
It was the perfect time for a brand refresh worthy of the momentum of its fast-rising Academic Village: a billion-dollar capital initiative that will transform the San Francisco campus and provide the space to partner with major universities from around the state and country.
The goals for the brand refresh were to support UC Hastings in:
Building collaborations that will catapult the existing academic program to new heights.
Showcasing the teaching and scholarly excellence.
Highlighting the many clinics and centers that range from racial and economic justice to tax law to the health sciences.
Connecting the areas of excellence that are the foundation on which the Academic Village will build and strengthen the community.
The effort began during a time of considerable turmoil in the world from the pandemic that killed hundreds of thousands of Americans and turned life upside down across the globe and an awakening nationwide to the deep-seated racial injustices plaguing our society.
The first step toward creating a future-focused brand was to develop a comprehensive visual identity system with a new look, tone, and presentation of the overall style that will bring fresh recognition. The brand refresh maintains a visual connection to how the brand identity was seen before with a refreshed personality, tone, and visual language. The effort includes:
Brand Positioning Workshop
Competitive review
Visual identity system update
Template system
Photography and films
Brand standards guide
Rollout plan
The UC Hastings Academic Village
The Future Starts Now
Strategic Plan Website
A critical step in bringing the refreshed brand to life is the Future Starts Now strategic plan website. The website is one way of sharing UC Hastings’ vision and values, achievements and aspirations, and some of its most exciting people, programs, and perspectives.
To raise awareness, UC Hastings worked with Molly Duggan Associates to develop a suite of communications materials to showcase the various components of the Academic Village, such as the academic spaces and community spaces, offices, conference center, student housing, social and retail space.
