Hart Learning Group
Rebrand
Background
The Hart Learning Group is an education group supporting over 10,000 students each year through North Hertfordshire College (a large general further education college), its multi-academy schools trust based in Stevenage, and its award-winning apprenticeship and commercial training business.
Scope of Work
Group logo with sub-brands
Website
Prospectus
Social media design
The Challenge
With a new CEO/Principal appointed to turn around the performance of the group, a period of transformation was about to begin. A new visual identity was required to signal a fresh start — one that reflected improvements, efficiencies, and ultimately, better outcomes for students and faculty.
Strategic Approach
With a new corporate structure in place, the group (Hart Learning Group) would encompass North Hertfordshire College, Hart Learning and Development, and Hart Schools Trust. The new brand needed to embody the exciting new direction of the organisation while clearly linking the individual parts into a recognisable family of services.
Design Solution
The reimagined logo is an abstract depiction of the animal that symbolically represents the county. Hertfordshire takes its name from the county town of Hertford, itself named after a hart (stag) and a ford, elements reflected in the county’s coat of arms.
Outcomes & Impact
Hart Learning Group went on to achieve a turnover of £40 million, employing around 1,000 staff and supporting more than 10,000 students annually.
The newly formed commercial business, Hart Learning and Development, secured over £20 million in new contracts with clients including Co-Op and Lloyds Bank, delivering more than 75% growth in commercial revenue and a £2 million improvement in commercial EBITDA between 2014/15 and 2016/17.
TES FE Awards
Campaign of the Year - Winner
“The ability to instantly understand my objectives and help me shape initiatives ground-up is as valuable as it is rare. This was most evident while helping us shape our overall approach to customer engagement before delivering a more traditionally scoped marketing and branding project which perfectly resonated with our target audience - attracting some 2,000 expressions of interest within 48 hours of launch.
Matthew has a rare ability to take my ill-articulated, sketchy descriptions of the look and feel I am searching for and come back to me with two or three options each of which represents a substantial development of my thinking.”
Matt Hamnett
CEO and Principal