Central Wisconsin Christian School reached out to Pen and Lens to develop a new brand identity in order to build pride in the school system and span its widening audience. As a K–12 school system, this project brought with it a particularly wide range of end viewers and users, from kindergarteners to high-school seniors, to faculty and staff, parents and donors. CWC needed a brand that could withstand an athletic department, remain lively through 13 years of schooling, draw in new parents and students, and be adored by kids of all ages.

Important to the Central Wisconsin Christian School brand is keeping in mind not only those it seeks to draw in, but also those whom the brand identifies. With such a wide range of personnel the brand needed to function on multiple platforms. 

Pen and Lens developed a simple crest. The shield shape and arch through the middle serve to allude to a knight’s armor—a nod to the school’s mascot, a Crusader. Unlike other school brands, however, this logo serves to identify both academic and athletic branches of the school system. The crest then succinctly marries the crusader elements with a prominent ‘W’, and a cross at the center after the school motto, “Where Christ is Central.”

Each time a user views the mark, they gain something different which aids in the longevity of a K–12 timeline of identification. The logo is simple enough that a child can understand, adapt, and integrate with it while also being smart enough for an older student or staff member to adorn it. This logo paired with a typeface that balances modern fonts and a need to speak to children, plus a bright, bold color palette, come together to make a powerful, memorable brand identity.