Chettinad Academy of Research & Education
Branding for a modern learning institute
The Challenge
A private, deemed university in Chennai, the Chettinad Academy of Research & Education is a prominent Institute for higher learning and research in the field of Medicine, Allied Health Sciences and Nursing. It is owned by the Chettinad Group, an Indian business conglomerate that has a large-scale presence in Education, Agriculture, Power, Cement, Infrastructure and more.
Chettinad Academy is a new-age institute that offers transformative learning through professional, job-oriented and innovative academic programs. It is on a continuous journey of achieving excellence in “teaching and research in interdisciplinary and emerging areas in medicine, health care, law & architecture.” They’re driven by 4 values: Insight, Inspiration, Intellect, and Integrity, which also shaped our approach to the brand.
Chettinad Academy is made up of various schools including Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, College of Nursing, School of Architecture, School of Law, and more. Each School is almost an institute in itself, with undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses. It was clear that they needed an identity that was forward-thinking and modern just like their vision. It also needed to work well with the myriad Schools under their umbrella. In addition, the vast scale of Chettinad Academy and its Schools and Divisions meant we had to create a strategic and clear-cut brand architecture that was balanced and cohesive.
How we did it
The mission of Chettinad Academy is simple: to help students achieve their true calling and instil a desire for lifelong learning. This powerful thought kickstarted our design strategy for the identity. We had to ensure that whatever logo we created would need to extend easily to its Schools. The brand mark we designed symbolized an “open door,” showing how Chettinad Academy helps students open pathways of learning. The open door also fosters a space for exchange of ideas and openness. The logo has a “C,” which stands for Chettinad and its 3 Cs: capability, character and commitment. The blues used in the logo represent knowledge, honesty and care, and the royal blue is the common thread linking the mother brand to its sub brands (the Schools).
The brand mark was adapted for each school, and solid colours were used for differentiation – a perfect balance of having their own identity while clearly belonging under the larger umbrella. The detailed brand guidelines ensured ease of use given the scale of the learning platform and the vast number of stakeholders who would be involved in executing the new branding.
The “open door” was also translated into a versatile graphic anchor that would extend to all collateral.
We were happy to see that the forward-thinking, innovative vision of Chettinad Academy come to life with its new identity and brand architecture.
CLIENT / Chettinad Academy of Research & Education (CARE)
SECTOR / Education
SERVICES / Identity and Brand Architecture
