Brand Strategy, Brand Identity
The Conciliation Lab
The Conciliation Lab (TCL) is a social justice theatre company based in Richmond, Virginia that uses theatre to facilitate conversations about race and racism.
The company is dedicated to transforming lives through a common-unity of purpose and building a future together that dreams of the immeasurable possibility of what true and un-compromised conciliation would add to the quality of all of our lives.
I sat down with the team and extensively discussed their goals, target audience, positioning, customer journey, competitive analysis, brand attributes, and developed a timeline for the entire project. This company is the product-in-process of two seemingly unlikely partners: a scrappy, innovative, and young theatre company focused on producing new and experimental works, and a long-standing, rooted, and loosely structured theatre company focused on the process of undoing racism.
After many discussions, we decided to create a brand that melds the wisdom and maturity of The Conciliation Project with the youth and vibrancy of TheatreLAB. Further, we decided to position the brand as a thought leader that appeals to, and supports, people who are impelled to not only learn about the work of TCL, but take the next step and incorporate it into their own lives.
Discovery
For the brand identity, I wanted to highlight the vibrancy and legacy of the company by using the Sankofa bird as the icon and taking it in a direction that's not usually seen: sharp lines and angular corners. “Sankofa” is a word in the Akan, Twi, and Fante languages of Ghana meaning to “go back and get it” and the bird is the icon associated with it.
The bright pop of colors, lines and angles allow the image to stand out from the sea of red and purple found amongst the competition in the surrounding area; and convey a feeling of strength, steadfastness, and innovation.
The bold, simple and clean styling to the logo design offers a flexible logo and brand assets. I helped the team explain this company-wide through stationary and various promotional item mockups like t-shirts, pins, and stamps.
Design
Final Thoughts
After immersing myself in the rich tapestry of two distinct theatre companies, it's evident that the fusion of legacy and innovation is a potent combination. Through careful dialogues, we honed in on a brand direction that encapsulates both the depth of The Conciliation Project's wisdom and the fresh energy of TheatreLAB. By employing the Sankofa bird's symbolism with a modern twist in design, we've crafted an identity that is both rooted in heritage and forward-looking.
This fusion not only sets the brand apart in a saturated market but also signifies the journey of taking lessons from the past to innovate for the future. The final assets are versatile, striking, and serve as a beacon for those eager to deepen their understanding and integration of TCL's mission into their lives.
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