Branding : Educational Expeditions

Project Overview:

The goal of this project was to create a cohesive brand with a clear vision: to provide expert-guided, immersive outdoor experiences that blend adventure with learning. The brand empowers individuals at all experience levels by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive in the outdoors. The project involved developing a holistic brand system that seamlessly integrated Brand Strategy, Verbal and Visual Identity, and Website Design—ensuring all elements worked together to reflect the core mission of education, empowerment, and building lasting confidence in outdoor exploration.

• Creative Director & Brand Designer | 2 Months
• Services: Brand Strategy | Art Direction | Branding | Website Design
• Industry: Outdoor Recreation & Education

Brand Strategy Development:

• Core Target Audience: Defined the primary audience as individuals seeking the confidence and skills to navigate the outdoors independently, focusing on those who feel underprepared or unsure of their abilities.
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• Purpose and Mission: Clarified the brand’s purpose to inspire a deeper connection with nature through immersive, adventure-based education. Crafted a mission that emphasizes delivering expert-guided, educational experiences supported by academic partnerships, particularly with the University of Utah School of Medicine, to ensure both credibility and impact.
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• Naming the Brand: The name "Ascend Expeditions" was carefully chosen to reflect the brand’s promise of growth, adventure, and personal elevation. "Ascend" symbolizes the journey of gaining confidence and skills, while "Expeditions" emphasizes expert-guided, immersive experiences that lead participants to new heights in their outdoor capabilities.

Verbal Identity Development:

• Value Proposition: Developed a clear value proposition that communicates the brand’s core promise—empowering individuals through expert-guided, immersive outdoor education. This proposition directly ties to the brand’s mission of fostering confidence, building practical skills, and encouraging a deeper connection with nature.
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• Service Offerings: Clearly articulated the brand’s service offerings to ensure they aligned with the core messaging. Each service—ranging from beginner expeditions to more advanced outdoor training—was framed to reflect the brand’s focus on growth, learning, and empowerment for participants at all experience levels.
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• Tone of Voice and Personality: Established a tone of voice that is approachable, empowering, and inspiring, reflecting the brand's values of empowerment, curiosity, integrity, collaboration, and inclusivity. This tone was designed to make participants feel welcomed and supported, while instilling a sense of confidence and excitement about their outdoor journey.
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• Messaging Pillars: Built core messaging pillars, such as "Inspiring Confidence," "Teaching Practical Outdoor Skills," and "Building Independent Adventurers," that consistently reinforce the brand’s mission and values across all touch-points. These pillars serve as the foundation for all communications, ensuring the messaging remains aligned with the brand’s purpose.

Visual Identity Development:

• Reflecting Verbal Identity: Designed a visual identity that aligns with the brand’s empowering and adventurous tone, ensuring consistency between verbal messaging and visuals.
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• Goal-Driven Design: Every element—logo, color palette, and typography—was crafted to reinforce the brand’s mission of building confidence and skills through outdoor education.
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• Audience-Centered: Created visuals that appeal to both beginners and seasoned adventurers by balancing approachability with a sense of expertise and adventure.
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• Cohesive Elements: Integrated a cohesive design system, with earthy tones and modern typography, to symbolize growth, empowerment, and connection to nature.

Website Design Development:

• Digital Reflection of the Brand: Designed a website that serves as a seamless extension of Ascend Expeditions' brand strategy, visually and verbally reinforcing the brand’s mission of empowering individuals through outdoor education.
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• User-Centered Experience: Built an engaging, user-friendly interface that reflects the brand’s approachable yet adventurous character, guiding users through the offerings with clarity and ease. The design balances education and inspiration, encouraging both beginners and seasoned adventurers to explore the services.
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• Integrated Visual and Verbal Identity: The website’s design incorporates the brand’s cohesive visual identity—earthy tones, modern typography, and adventure-driven imagery—paired with empowering, clear messaging that resonates with the target audience. Every page conveys the brand's values of empowerment, curiosity, and inclusivity.
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• Responsive and Accessible: Ensured the website is fully responsive and accessible, allowing a wide range of users to engage with the brand, regardless of device or experience level, further supporting the brand’s commitment to inclusivity and broad-reaching education.

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