Modernizing a Legacy Brand

Overview

Hatching Results is recognized nationally as the premier provider of professional development for school counselors. By 2023, however, the company’s visual identity had not evolved alongside its reputation. The original logo, created nearly 20 years prior by the founder’s niece, had deep sentimental value but was showing its age.

I led a rebranding process to modernize the logo and formalize brand standards while respecting the company’s history.

The Challenge

The old logo, while meaningful, had become increasingly difficult to use in a modern digital landscape. Its detailed black-and-white line art didn’t scale well on mobile screens or print materials and no longer matched the energy of Hatching Results’ work.

Beyond these visual concerns, I wanted the brand to speak more directly to a new generation of educators and school counselors entering the field with expectations of a polished, contemporary organization.

My Role

Working directly with the company founder and a small leadership committee, I:

• Initiated and managed the entire logo redesign process

• Selected and collaborated with freelance designer Gary Gogis

• Facilitated stakeholder input, balancing respect for the legacy logo with a push toward modernization

• Expanded and codified brand guidelines, including typography and color standards, for consistent application across all company materials

This process included internal presentations, progress reviews, and even problem-solving around color calibration issues during the feedback phase.

The Process

Respecting the Legacy
Before proposing any changes, I spent time learning the full story behind the original logo from the founder and her brother, who was also involved in the original creation. This step allowed me to acknowledge its meaning while making the case for an update that would carry the brand forward.

Modernizing Key Elements
It was important to preserve the three core elements, the eggshell, graduation cap, and diploma, while simplifying the design for clarity and adaptability. We also added yellow to the tassel to give a splash of color. Overall we created a logo that works as well on a conference booth tablecloth as it does as a social media avatar.

Establishing Standards
In parallel, I documented clear usage rules for fonts, colors, and spacing, ensuring brand consistency across all communications channels, and slide decks in particular represented a huge piece of the company’s client-facing assets.