How to transform an educational brand identity for growth

↳ The challenge

Lycée français de San Diego (LFSD) recognized the need to evolve their visual identity to better reflect their comprehensive educational offering. As a growing French international school serving students from preschool through middle school (Grades 4-8), LFSD's existing brand identity—centered around a bear logo—was too closely associated with early childhood education. This visual disconnect created challenges in communicating their full academic spectrum to prospective families and positioning themselves as a serious educational institution for older students. The school needed a sophisticated, versatile brand identity that would resonate across all age groups while maintaining their French heritage and educational excellence.

↳ The solution

We conducted a comprehensive brand transformation project starting with strategic discovery sessions with LFSD leadership, faculty, and parent communities to understand the school's unique positioning and aspirations. Our design team developed a new logo concept that moves away from childish imagery while incorporating elements that reflect both French educational tradition and modern international schooling.

The rebrand encompassed three key phases: logo redesign with multiple applications and variations, comprehensive brand guidelines development covering typography, color palettes, imagery styles, and usage protocols, and creation of new UI templates for digital touchpoints. Every element was designed to work cohesively across the full educational spectrum—from welcoming preschool families to inspiring confidence in middle school academics.

↳ The results

Long-term Impact: The new brand identity now serves as the foundation for LFSD's continued growth and positioning in the competitive San Diego private school market. The versatile design system supports consistent communication across all educational levels while reinforcing LFSD's commitment to academic excellence and French educational values. The school now has a scalable brand platform that will support their expansion plans and enhanced market positioning.