Client

SmarterGrads

Industry

Education & College Guidance

Services

1. Logo Design

2. Brand Identity Design

3. Website Development

4. Print & Digital Design

SmarterGrads

SmarterGrads offers a powerful service designed to help students and their parents make informed decisions about college and career paths. Their primary tool, a custom-built financial calculator, generates detailed scenarios for various colleges and academic programs. The calculator takes into account a range of critical factors, including potential career paths, the costs associated with different institutions, expected payback periods, return on investment (ROI), and projected monthly loan payments. This enables users to compare colleges based not just on tuition but on the long-term financial impact of their choices, allowing families to evaluate the trade-offs between different options. By providing a full breakdown of the costs and potential earnings, SmarterGrads empowers students and parents to make confident, well-informed decisions about higher education and future careers.

Despite offering a valuable tool, SmarterGrads faced challenges with a website and branding that didn’t clearly communicate their offerings, resulting in confusion for their target audience. AIDesigns was tasked with solving this problem by creating a cohesive brand identity and designing a website with an intuitive user experience that clearly conveyed their core message.

The Challenge

Lack of Clarity and Cohesion:
SmarterGrads’ website and branding were disjointed, leading to a lack of understanding of their unique service offering.

  1. The main product—the financial calculator—was buried in unclear messaging, which made it difficult for users to grasp how it worked and how it could help them make informed college decisions.

  2. Additionally, the logo, brand kit, and marketing materials lacked a unified look, further diminishing brand recognition and impact.

Our Solution

We approached this challenge by developing a complete branding overhaul and designing a new website and marketing materials to provide SmarterGrads with a consistent, professional presence that resonated with their audience.

  1. Logo and Branding Kit

SmarterGrads’ logo was revamped to represent their mission of guiding students toward informed, smart decisions. The new branding kit included:

  • Logo Redesign: We developed a fresh, professional logo with a youthful touch, reflecting the target audience of students and parents while emphasizing SmarterGrads’ focus on clarity and reliability.

  • Color Palette: We established a vibrant yet professional color palette, balancing the seriousness of financial decisions with the optimism of future career opportunities.

  • Typography: We selected modern, legible fonts that enhance readability across digital and print platforms.

2. Website Redesign

We redesigned the SmarterGrads website with a focus on clarity and user experience. Key features of the new site include:

  • Intuitive User Journey: We simplified the navigation, ensuring that the financial calculator and its benefits were front and center. Users can now easily understand how the tool works and quickly generate personalized college scenarios.

  • Clear Messaging: The homepage now communicates the core offering upfront, highlighting the importance of financial decision-making for college and career paths. We used bold headlines and concise explanations to ensure users immediately grasp the value SmarterGrads provides.

  • Visual Appeal: We incorporated a clean, modern design with SmarterGrads’ new branding to build trust and engagement with visitors.

3. Marketing Collaterals

We created a range of marketing collaterals to enhance SmarterGrads' visibility and communicate their services effectively:

  • Flyers & Brochures: These materials provided clear and concise explanations of the financial calculator, detailing the benefits and process for students and parents. They also highlighted testimonials and case studies to build trust and engagement.

  • 4x6 Cards: Compact and impactful, these cards were designed for distribution at college fairs and school events, offering a snapshot of SmarterGrads' services.

  • Banners: Eye-catching banners for both digital and physical use, designed to reinforce the brand at events and direct attention to the key features of the calculator.

Results

Our collaboration with SmarterGrads resulted in a complete transformation of their brand and digital presence. By focusing on clarity, cohesion, and user experience, we helped them align their branding with their mission, enabling them to effectively communicate their services to students and parents. This rebranding positioned SmarterGrads as a trusted resource for college decision-making, driving engagement, and ultimately growing their customer base.

SmarterGrads is now fully equipped to lead students and parents through the complexities of college and career choices, with a clear and professional brand that stands out in the education space.