Knowledge Accelerators Refresh

Overview

At its core, Knowledge Accelerators empowers teams to do things differently.

After more than two decades in business, Knowledge Accelerators was ready to expand their reach and needed a brand refresh that would position them as the right choice for software training, while keeping business teams updated at “the speed of change.” Our goal was simple: to modernize their approach for the 21st century and ensure their brand remained relevant and resilient in the years ahead. With new essential resources in hand, Knowledge Accelerators’ entire team is now empowered to leverage them to pursue their business goals and initiatives. These assets included a fully functional design system, a style guide, a brand book, social and digital templates, and a presentation template.

Challenge

Refreshing a client’s brand to modernize its image and highlight its innovation and efficiency can be a challenging endeavor. We needed to make sure that we emphasized the need for a design that not only stands out but also showcases a sense of a clean and modern approach.

Achieving this balance requires creativity and a deep understanding of the client’s brand essence and market positioning. The refresh must be visually appealing while aligning with the client’s brand values and aspirations and, ultimately, serving as a beacon for their forward-thinking approach and rapid execution. Balancing these elements while ensuring the brand remains timeless and adaptable to future trends posed a significant challenge for rebranding this client.

Approach

Brand Strategy

Knowledge Accelerators’ previous brand did not mirror their forward-thinking nature and future objectives. As the company transitioned to the next phase, they had to address specific misconceptions and changes. Furthermore, internal teams inconsistently applied the previous brand, resulting in a disjointed brand perception externally.

We began the project by conducting client interviews, analyzing competitors, and reviewing existing analytics. These insights formed the foundation for defining the project’s requirements and making recommendations.

Logo

The Knowledge Accelerators’ logo was constructed to portray who they are, what they do, and how they do it.

The mark, an abstract ‘KA’ with connotations of a play button, represents their technical software training. The shape also helps resonate their unofficial tagline of keeping their teams updated at “the speed of change.” The faint infinity symbol seen within the mark represents the never–ending continuation of training and value. The mark and wordmark have similar shapes with rounded and sharp edges that help associate the logo as one single unit.

Visual Language

The brand’s visual style, defined by vivid and striking colors, is designed to attract attention and leave a lasting impact. The primary color is ‘KA Purple’. Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. It symbolizes nobility and ambition. It is associated with wisdom and creativity. The Red, Orange, and Yellow symbolize the inception and cornerstone of Knowledge Accelerators, paying homage to the vibrant hues of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Typography

Knowledge Accelerators utilizes the PT Sans font family for headers and Inter for body copy to help maintain a distinctive look. It is used in main communications and is present both in digital and print formats.

Photography

A photographic image may play a leading or supporting role in a layout, either as a main focus, background image, or minor inset. Portraits of people are what constitute the brand and photos of users with equipment specific to training are key. The photos are authentic, natural, and in action.

Patterns

The brand uses the angles of the logo mark as design elements within various compositions. It can play with all the colors of our palette and is always a close-up view of the composition. These outline the Knowledge Accelerators mark and add visual interest to large color blocks and photography as well as presentations, social, and print pieces.