USC, Roski School of Art and Design
Partnering with USC Roski School of Art and Design to develop a new visual identity system that reflects the school’s forward-thinking approach to art and design education. Designed to be both dynamic and adaptable, the system unifies undergraduate and graduate programs while seamlessly integrating across mailers, booklets, merchandise, and posters, creating a cohesive yet flexible brand presence.
Brand System
Education
Redefining a Legacy
As one of the nation's leading art and design institutions, USC Roski sought a visual identity that would better align with its evolving curriculum and innovative approach to creative education. The challenge was to develop a brand system that would feel both structured and expressive, capable of representing a diverse community of artists, designers, and educators while maintaining a strong institutional presence.
Building a Dynamic System
We worked closely with Roski’s leadership and creative teams to develop the RAD identity, a flexible visual system designed to unify the school’s programs while allowing for creative expression. Through deep research into Roski’s history, audience, and positioning, we established a brand ethos that balanced academic rigor with artistic innovation.
The RAD identity was designed as a modular framework, adaptable across diverse applications—from program materials to campus signage. We then translated it into a comprehensive graphic system, ensuring cohesion across mailers, booklets, merchandise, and posters, while maintaining the flexibility for future evolution.
A Discovery-Driven Approach
Worked closely with faculty, students, and leadership to ensure the identity resonated with both institutional needs and creative aspirations.
Developed a visual language that provided a strong foundation while allowing fluidity for experimentation—mirroring the school’s approach to creative education.
Created an identity beyond a static mark, designing a scalable graphic system that could evolve with the school’s future.
A Living Identity for a Creative Institution
USC Roski’s RAD identity system is not just a brand—it’s a tool for creative expression, built to evolve with the next generation of artists and designers. It embodies the school’s ethos: pushing boundaries, embracing innovation, and redefining what’s possible in art and design education.
A Unified Yet Adaptive Brand System
The RAD identity system has given USC Roski a stronger, more cohesive presence, uniting its undergraduate and graduate programs under a shared visual language. Designed for both consistency and adaptability, the new system has been seamlessly implemented across printed and digital assets, reinforcing Roski’s position as a leader in art and design education.
By blending structure with creative flexibility, the new identity not only strengthens institutional recognition but also empowers students and faculty to engage with it in meaningful ways. More than just a logo, it is a living system—one that will continue to shape and reflect Roski’s evolving creative landscape.
USC, Roski School of Art and Design
What it means to reimagine the power of today’s art school, while incorporating the venerable legacy of academic and creative excellence into a graphic system to resonate with broader audiences.
Brand System
Education
Our collaboration with USC Roski was more than a brand campaign: we helped them define what it means to be a 21st century school of art and design for the students of today and tomorrow. The results were expanded into a comprehensive brand system designed to engage students, the professional community at large and the public. In the process we brought to the forefront how the school renewed its academic and cultural mission, focusing on refining the fundamental values of the school as a cornerstone of practice across all undergraduate and graduate programs.
Approach
Our approach focused on understanding USC Roski's unique values based vision and translating it into a dynamic story and visual identity that resonated with their diverse programs and audiences. Through meticulous design work and attention to detail, we crafted a graphic system that not only reflected the essence of RAD but also maintained consistency and relevance across all communication channels. By collaborating closely with the academic leadership and deans at USC Roski, we ensured that the new visual identity and graphic system effectively represented their distinct brand values while honoring their place within one of the largest and most esteemed research universities in the country.