The brief was to create a communication campaign to improve recognition of Pearson, an "educational services company" whose reputation lagged behind the great work it was doing.

We didn’t feel this went far enough. The education industry is in the midst of a revolution, with massive growth in countries like India, China, and Brazil, technology opening new possibilities, and tech companies entering the fray.

So the brief evolved. We needed to capture the effervescence of this changing organisation, invigorate the organisation around an inspiring idea, and help Pearson claim its rightful standing as the world’s leading learning company.

Working together, we captured the essence. Pearson believes in “All kinds of learning for all kinds of people, delivered in a personal style. Because wherever learning flourishes, so do people”. The distinctive voice, based on their values – brave, imaginative, and decent – helped them tell stories with understated humour.The illustration invites a second look; the photography captures the breadth and elation of learning. We broadened the colour palette and introduced the bar device to pull applications together. To finish, a highly distinctive, animated, living font that can be updated over time to reflect this constantly developing brand.

The brand launched in January 2011, so its impact is yet to be fully felt. We have initiated over 34,000 employees with engagement films, books, workshops and events. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Anecdotally there is a widespread spirit of renewed vigour. Head of Communications, Luke Swanson said, “The response to the brand work has exceeded our expectations. And our expectations certainly weren’t low”.

The FT has adopted the bar logo device on its front cover; we have helped the company launch its social intranet, and redesign some of their office spaces to reflect the new design.