Innovative Hub for Public Service

Since its establishment in 2015, Zijiang Foundation has been committed to being a "platform-based" and "support-oriented" non-public fundraising foundation. It aims to leverage the concept of a "platform" to mobilize more resources, focusing on three major areas of public service: "education," "poverty alleviation," and "social innovation." The overarching goal of the foundation is talent cultivation and consciousness advocacy in the field of philanthropy.

Zijiang Foundation has initiated projects such as the "Tongji University Social Responsibility Investment Special Fund" and the "East China Normal University Philanthropy and Charity Talent Cultivation Special Fund." Through the establishment of development and education funds, these projects provide tangible support for student development, faculty improvement, facility enhancement, and academic advancement, contributing to the overall progress of China's education sector.

Brand Challenges

Zijiang Foundation's target audience often revolves around the younger generation, and as a result, the current brand image is characterized by modernity and flexibility, showcasing a vibrant and innovative personality.

After in-depth interviews with the Secretary-General and the team of Zijiang Foundation, StrategyVision learned that over the past six years, the foundation has focused on establishing project mechanisms. Now, the foundation is preparing to engage in more external communication and interaction. In the future, while building on education and innovation, Zijiang Foundation will gradually extend its reach to a broader spectrum of society, fostering deeper collaborations with visionary foundations, companies, universities, and scholars.

Consequently, the current youthful brand identity system may not align well with future development needs. By infusing a sense of depth into the existing youthful and energetic brand foundation, the brand can better reflect its growth.

The core values of "Integrity, Pragmatism, Innovation, and Persistence" are the cornerstone of Zijiang's brand development. Integrating these core values into future brand communication, effectively conveying Zijiang Foundation's brand value to the public, is a challenge that the new brand image must address.

Rebranding

After reviewing the existing brand identity system of Zijiang Foundation, we have reevaluated the optimal way to present the brand image and made unified adjustments to address the challenges encountered in its application.

The original brand logo of Zijiang Foundation incorporated negative space within the text to enhance readability and recognition. We have applied negative space uniformly to each letter, standardized the spacing, and adjusted the proportion between text and graphics to create a more harmonious visual appearance.

The logo's graphic element features multiple gradients, portraying a youthful and vibrant feel. However, using gradients in actual printing presents significant challenges, as similar gradient colors can blur the boundaries and hinder brand memorability. To address this, we have integrated the same negative space as used in the text within the graphic element. This adjustment enhances clarity and aligns with the design language of the text.

When conveying the brand's blend of youthful vibrancy and professional responsibility, our approach involves creating two distinct sets of brand color schemes and visuals. This allows us to cater to different usage scenarios and emphasize different aspects of the brand personality when addressing diverse audiences.

For reaching a wider societal audience, the focus lies on highlighting the core values of "Integrity" and "Practicality." The combination of purple and gold exudes a steady and dedicated demeanor. The brand imagery is rendered in black and white, with reduced contrast to mitigate the distance effect in black and white images and to introduce a softer touch. This approach aligns well with the foundation's image.

When targeting student audiences, the emphasis shifts to highlighting the core values of "Innovation" and "Sustainability." Utilizing a consistent color palette with low saturation images conveys a sense of modernity and style. The diverse color scheme adds variety in combination, mirroring the adaptability and versatility of the younger generation.

The logo graphic is repeated and arranged in a basic geometric shape, forming a representative pattern for Zijiang Foundation through repetition. Similar to a tangram puzzle, various shapes can be extracted from the pattern, creating a versatile set of secondary graphics for application across different brand visuals.

In the brand image targeted towards students, we also incorporated the use of illustrations in a hand-drawn style. This hand-drawn approach naturally embodies a sense of innate charm, allowing imagination and creativity to flow freely. The hand-drawn style exudes a sense of warmth and authenticity, evoking emotional resonance and connection.

Brand Application