Midlothian Independent School District
Student Creativity and Ingenuity
Building an Innovative Brand for an Innovative Program
The Client
Midlothian Independent School District (MISD) is a public school district located in Midlothian, TX. As a part of their efforts to increase available offerings and opportunities to students through their Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, MISD developed The MILE (Midlothian Innovative Learning Experience).
Opening in August 2020, The MILE is a state-of-the-art educational facility that will provide flexible learning platforms that reflect current industry and workplace environments in five career and technical education pathways:
- Culinary Arts
- Cybersecurity
- Aerospace Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Entrepreneurship
In fact, The MILE offers certain technical certifications for high school students that allow them to immediately start working after graduation in their new trade. It’s a wonderful option for those students who wish to join the workforce in lieu of college, as well as for students who plan on furthering their education.
The Challenge
MISD was looking to rebrand the entire CTE program to freshen its image and change the perception of the program in the eyes of the public and the students. They wanted to communicate the hands-on learning opportunities provided by CTE, along with the innovative environment that allows each student to explore their passions through authentic, real-world experiences. This is accomplished by connecting students to mentors, curriculum coaches, guest speakers, and internships in a business-like setting that prepares them for the future.
Simultaneously, MISD was looking to create a new brand around The MILE to inform the public of the opportunities that would be offered and elicit excitement around the new building. After all, The MILE’s goal is to inspire creativity and ingenuity. It is not your typical learning environment – instead, it simulates a real-world work environment with ultra-modern décor and a forward-thinking layout that fosters collaboration.
The Strategy
Naturally, a place this tech-forward and chic had to have a brand to match. The goal with The MILE logo was to create the perfect balance of pre-existing and new; we wanted to incorporate the existing MISD brand, but also allow The MILE logo to stand on its own. We also wanted to emulate the professional focus of The MILE while exciting the target audience and inviting them to explore further.
For The MILE, we created a new and modern logo along with corresponding marketing materials and promotional items that were distributed to introduce the facility to the public. The MILE’s website, email blasts, and social media channels were all updated and seamlessly worked together to create brand awareness.
The Results
We received approval from all major stakeholders on The MILE’s new branding, logo, and messaging related to the program.
The MILE’s new image has been used to promote the program and facility while it is under construction, and has brought awareness, notoriety, and interest to the district from the local community as well as other school districts.
“1558 Brand worked collaboratively with our team to create a branding package that conveys the idea of growing students in a career pathway that is aligned to their passions and the vision for the flexible, learning experience at The MILE, Midlothian Innovative Learning Experience. The 1558 staff articulated the benefits of a robust branding package that students and the community will find unforgettable. The final design features are timeless and strong, ensuring the ability for this logo to be fitting over time. Throughout the process, the team listened to the district’s needs, observed organizational values and plans for the future of the programs at the MILE to capture the spirit of the project and environment in a high-quality graphic.”
– Shelle Blaylock, Administrator, The MILE