Michigan State University
Sparking Innovation Across Campus.
MSU's Hub for Innovation fosters collaboration and innovation among a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students in pursuit of the university's mission of enhancing teaching and technology. When I began working with the Hub's faculty leadership, their existing brand identity felt disconnected from the university at large and didn't reflect the ambition of the work happening inside.
The Work
I developed an enhanced visual identity aligned with the Hub's mission, working directly with MSU faculty leadership throughout the process. I facilitated feedback from students and faculty, distilling their input into a refined creative direction that ensured the community felt connected to and inspired by the end result. The system included a logo lockup, brand pattern, and animation, image treatment system, social media templates, presentation templates, and posters. Brand patterns extended into large-scale environmental applications across the Hub's physical spaces.
Beyond the visual system, I developed comprehensive brand guidelines and user-friendly process and presentation documents to help the Hub's internal team apply the brand consistently moving forward.
Outcome
The MSU Hub team was so satisfied with the work that they referred Contraire internally to other university departments, including the Graduate School and the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education, leading to additional engagements across the university.
Client: Michigan State University
Creative Director: Courtney Perti / Contraire