Studio Blue is a graphic design firm. We engage mission-driven organizations in strategic thinking and sophisticated form making to create brands, websites, books, environmental graphics, and communication programs. Our expertise with cultural and academic institutions enables us to deliver innovative solutions, connecting our clients to their constituents in powerful ways.
Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago
We designed the brand system to launch the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to build a strong, unified expression of their mission to accelerate the path from vision to venture. The vibrant blue and red of the ‘O’ combine to create the University of Chicago maroon. The trajectory of the ‘O’ expresses the outward impact of the Center’s work.
The University of Chicago,
Harris School of Public Policy
Helping Chicago Harris attract Millennials is our latest University challenge. For the admission’s team we developed a suite of print and electronic materials to balance the academic rigor of the school and reflect the passion of the next generation of policy leaders who want to “do good” in the world.
Chicago Humanities Festival,
2015 Fall Festival, Citizens
The Chicago Humanities Festival originated the idea of an annual gathering of the curious to engage with leading thinkers to reflect on and explore a single theme regarding the state of our world. This approach is now a model for nationwide festivals that promote the humanities dialogue and engagement. The organization now presents more than 140 programs throughout the year to an audience of 40,000+.
University of Illinois
at Chicago
UIC engaged in a rebranding initiative to express the dynamism of its growing and increasingly recognized campus. The revised identity embraces the university’s mission and intense engagement with the city of Chicago, and supports a voice and set of stories that can project the university to a variety of publics.
The University of Chicago,
Harris School of Public Policy
Chicago Harris is one of the top public policy schools in the country and this twice-yearly publication contains long-form features on faculty and alumni research as well as community-focused articles. In each issue, we create an original information graphic based on data provided by Chicago Harris.
Chicago Humanities Festival,
2014 Fall Festival, Journeys
Taking “Journeys” into a year-long campaign allowed us to explore a broad topic and narrow its focus into more of a mood or tone than a declaration of what a journey is. Working with festival leadership we came to know that the use of a theme is at once an organizing principle and also an enigma. Our role was to intrigue new, as well as loyal audience members, to want to the turn the pages of the program guide and begin a personal journey.
Northwestern University
Northwestern University launched We Will: The Campaign for Northwestern a $3.75 billion campaign to fund the University’s strategic plan. Six months prior to launch, Studio Blue was engaged to design the campaign brand. We began with a rapid immersion phase to understand strategic needs, market receptivity towards giving and the degree of commitment alumni have to the University. The brand design and implementation included a positioning statement, brand attributes, case statement design and writing, and guidance of event, web and video teams.
The Art Institute of Chicago
Environmental, Interactive, Publication
More than 130 years after its founding, the Art Institute of Chicago ranks among the world’s great museums interpreting, conserving, and collecting works of art that inform, educate and inspire visitors. To continue to lead, the Art Institute worked with Studio Blue to upgrade its web experience. We designed the site’s homepage to showcase mission via prominent display of art and exhibition details, reconfigured the site’s structure and navigation, enhanced social media tools, and developed a unique mobile theme.
Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts
Brand, Environmental, Mission, vision, values, Interactive
The College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University needed to refresh its position as an educator of cultural leaders. To assist a new dean in realizing her goals, we worked with faculty, staff and students to define their mission, vision and values. We then translated this strategy into a brand personality, identity system and website.
The Richard H. Driehaus Museum
Brand, Communication program, Interactive, Mission, vision, values
To share his passion for how buildings and objects are made, Richard Driehaus established a museum housed in a Gilded Age mansion. The Museum is a premier example of historic preservation, offering visitors an experience of how the prevailing design philosophies of the period were interpreted by artists, architects and designers during the closing decades of the 19th century in Chicago.
Washington University in
St. Louis, Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts
Brand, Communication program, Interactive
In July 2006, the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis became official. A synergistic union of the College of Art, College of Architecture, and the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, the Sam Fox School needed a visual identity to communicate its vision of sharing ideas.
