Cleveland Institute of Art

A fresh brand system as dynamic as the kaleidescope of CIA’s 17 majors and disciplines.

To connect the next generation of creative thinkers with a college of art and design, you ought to speak their language. So we shifted the dialogue from institutional to personal.

We envisioned an entirely-new web experience that meets individuals where they’re at, with a particular focus on applying students. Their web experience gets tailored to their interests in distinct majors as they go through the steps of the application process.

Artists and designers who seek to express their truth, cultivate their identity, and impact their world thrive at Cleveland Institute of Art, where their college experience privileges belonging over exclusivity, abundance over scarcity, and collaboration over competition. 

Recruitment and admission materials —digital, printed, and experiential — speak to those who choose to study art and design because they see their creative practice as an avenue to realizing their goals.

Ever since the College first started educating creative individuals 140 years ago, CIA has always dreamed big. The new visual language launched a comprehensive campaign to transform our future—on purpose.

Setting graduates up for careers in the working world has always been part of the value proposition at Cleveland Institute of Art. And while that remains an important aspect of what CIA offers, we asked whether it was its highest purpose? Or could there be something that feels more aspirational, a little idealistic even, that speaks to the way graduates hope to contribute to the world?