CASE STUDY
Rebranding a School System
We helped breathe new life into the brand identities of an Oklahoma City charter school.
Differentiated brand from previous leadership and reputation
Developed multiple school identities under a national umbrella
Realigned brand with new organizational vision
The Client & Ask
KIPP OKC — part of the national KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) network of charter schools — offers a free college-prep education for elementary and middle school students.
Candor was engaged to identify new school names, identities and logos as part of a larger effort to communicate a reimagined organizational vision and direction, breaking away from previous reputations and foundational leadership. The school decided to self-identify as two separate entities, an elementary and middle school, instead of one.
The Process
Candor conducted 10 stakeholder interviews — including school administrators, board members, teachers and parents — to assess understanding of the new vision. We then researched and developed school name options which aligned with that vision, presenting our findings and recommendations for client review.
The Design
Once KIPP OKC selected the new school names for the elementary and middle schools, our team designed multiple logo iterations for each. Every logo iteration reflected themes of reaching for higher goals, growth and resilience.
The Results
The final chosen school names — Rise Elementary and Soar College Prep — highlight KIPP OKC’s two unique school identities while maintaining a cohesive brand image.
The client got teary-eyed when he saw the new logos for the first time and expressed his excitement about this visual representation of the schools’ refreshed strategic direction.
