San Diego, California
Hospitality Information
Recently, UC San Diego sought out to rename and rebrand a group of existing services for campus residents and visitors– a one-stop destination offering resources and information regarding campus life. UCSD, a 1,976-acre campus with roughly 40,000 undergraduate students, acknowledged that there was a lack of information provided when it came to questions such as: events planning and catering services, lost keys, package delivery and a myriad of campus services that the campus community was unaware of. The design team was brought on by UC San Diego to name, rebrand and create a strong visual presence for outreach materials and brick and mortar locations for the campus concierge service.
Markets
Client
UC San Diego
Design awards
Understanding the essence of the brand
With a mission to make life easier for the UCSD students and community, Hospitality Information is a concierge service that provides access and tools to students, faculty and guests on campus with day-to-day questions. The service is a forward-thinking idea that reimagines the way campuses communicate to their audience. Hospitality Information seeks to bring clarity for individuals struggling with unanswered questions. The design team examined a people-centered approach to sensitively navigate the complexity of such a service. Through stakeholder engagement and guiding brand principles, the brand for Hospitality Information emerged through an innovative lens that captures clarity and approachability.
During the initial research phase, it became apparent that there was no existing or similar service in the University sector. It required research, strategy and innovative design to create an awareness. First and foremost the brand needed a clear message to speak to an audience who may be unfamiliar with the program and its wide array of services.
The student body of UCSD embraces a large international population from different cultural backgrounds and languages. Because of this, it was vital for the identity system to be legible without the use of words. The design team approached the logo and brand kit of parts to include international pictograms and a logo mark resembling a bold and iconic speech bubble.
It was important to UCSD that the Hospitality Information brand emphasizes its character through bright, colorful, and memorable graphic elements with a conversational energy to stand out in the campus landscape. The friendly shapes and vibrant colors illustrate chatter amongst students and campus residents, inspiring community and interconnectedness.