CLIENT
The Watson Institute
PROJECT
Brand Strategy Development
PRACTICE AREA
Education
SERVICES PROVIDED
Brand Positioning & Messaging
Identity Development
Brand Launch Strategy & Planning
Print Design & Production
Content Strategy & Creation
Exceptional Children Achieving Exceptional Results
By implementing an institutional branding strategy, BD&E established a cohesive identity to embody all that The Watson Institute has to offer.
Since its establishment in 1917 as the D.T. Watson Home for Crippled Children, The Watson Institute has grown and evolved to now service more than 550 students at five locations. It is a space where those with special needs ages 3-21 can be educated and encouraged to succeed.
BD&E was originally faced with the challenge of capturing and communicating the mission of The Watson Institute through branding. Because this organization is driven to help exceptional children exceed in all aspects of their lives, it was crucial to convey hope and positivity.
After extensive research and planning, BD&E developed a new logo and graphic identity to define the institution.
The vibrant and uplifting color scheme represents students’ achievements while showcasing Watson for what it truly is: an optimistic institution that prioritizes the welfare of children and their families above all else. The logo itself is abstract and open to interpretation, whether it is a flower to one person or a child in a wheelchair to another.
BD&E also had the privilege of designing a 100th Anniversary logo for Watson, a Pro-Am Golf Tournament logo, and major signage applications across all buildings and facilities.
The overarching brand honors the original goal of David and Margaret Watson—to help exceptional children achieve exceptional results.
Through BD&E’s creative design efforts, the new brand identity centered around The Watson Institute’s six core values–Customer Focus, Excellence, Integrity, Teamwork, Innovation, and Significance of the Individual.
“The brand identity for The Watson Institute is timeless. Even though the logo was created in 1999, it is as fresh today as it was more than two decades ago.”
- Jeff Flick, President & CEO, BD&E, and Chairman of The Watson Institute Board of Trustees since 2015 -
RESULTS
With the help of BD&E’s strategic branding efforts, The Watson Institute has grown to now serve over 550 students and has extended from one location to five in Western Pennsylvania. The educational programs taught within the curriculum have expanded by more than 30%, and webpage visit duration has jumped to almost 9 minutes versus a benchmark of 2-3 minutes.
The Watson Institute’s additional programs are now recognized internationally and reach more than 1,000 children with special needs. Educators conduct training and consultation initiatives in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and New Jersey.