Kumon Rebrand
​Role: Designer and Strategist
Team: 3 members
Design Sprint: 4 weeks
Innovation Protocol
A mock rebrand of a math and reading learning center including brand strategy and design system.
KUMON
Kumon is a math and reading learning center for students from pre-k to high school. It's more than just your regular tutoring center. Kumon was started by a father's love for his son. Over 60 years ago in Osaka, Japan, a man named Toru Kumon wanted his son to develop a love for learning and build a toolbox of skills he could use for the rest of his life. He developed an incremental, self-paced learning method now known as the Kumon Method. This method has remained unchanged and has continued to be successful as they've grown to over 25,000 learning centers in 50 countries.
The Challenge
We want to honor Kumon's origin in a modern and refined way, emphasize the holistic approach of the Kumon Method, and for our branding to be approachable to students of all ages and skill levels.
01
Brand Platform
Position
Building a foundation for lifelong success.
Vision
Every student recognizes their full potential and applies it in school and beyond.
Mission
To provide a safe space for students to gain confidence with an incremental, self-paced learning method.
Values
One Step at a Time
Small progress every day will lead to big results.
Create a Safe Space
Students feel free to make mistakes.
Personality
Build Lifelong Learners
A toolbox of skills that students can use for a lifetime.
Empower Individuals
Students advance faster when they’re confident in themselves.
Confident Nurturing Reliable Intentional
​
02
Design System
Typography
Effra
AaBbCcDdEe
Bold, open, steady. Effra is our primary font for bold statements.
Avenir
AaBbCcDdEe
Round and inviting. Avenir is our secondary font for paragraphs.
Color Palette
Graphic Elements
Paper Textures
The Kumon Method is a reliable learning method that has been successful for over 60 years, so our designs should honor that tradition. Kumon has been using pen and paper only in their learning environments since 1954.
These textures can be used as backgrounds for graphic elements, photography, and typography.
Graphic Elements
Steps to Success
The Kumon Method makes learning more approachable by taking it one step at a time. This element reflects the way students learn at Kumon with this step-by-step method. The hand drawn texture makes these steps more personalized and approachable.
This pattern can be used to frame typography or photography to create a dynamic composition.
Graphic Elements
Hand Drawn Lines
Inspired by Japanese architecture, this hand drawn stylistic element can be used to frame the Kumon house name, and emphasize the tactical nature of their teaching method.
Graphic Elements
Building Blocks
Blocks are steady, dependable shapes that are also timeless and classic. They are a familiar shape for kids and root back to the basics of learning.
These blocks can be used in multiple formations and bring depth and dimension to our designs.
02
Mockups
