Name, Identity and Brand Strategy for

The BEAM Trust

The goal was to create an authentic, meaningful and motivating brand for a multi-academy trust made up of four successful primary schools in Cheshire.

THE CHALLENGE

We were approached by a group of primary schools in Cheshire as they began the process of forming a multi-academy trust in 2021.

Each school was successful in its own right, with a clear identity and a local audience of parents that didn't want to see their school's 'brand' diluted by a joining a MAT.

THE PROCESS

We gathered together a group made up on head teachers from each school along with school governers & parents and held a Lego Serious Play Workshop.

The workshop allowed each school's representative to share elements of what made their school special and what they valued.

As part of the process the participants 'build' a shared landscape, choosing which elements to bring forward to the MAT brand and which elements should remain part of their school's individual brand.

We also conducted a survey of parents from all schools to better understand what motivated them as well as what worried them about the formation of a MAT.

THE FUTURE

Following the workshops, a series of insights were drawn up, leading to the creation of a set of core values and a positioning statement for the multi-academy trust.

Following the brand strategy, a full creative phase was delivered, including developing the name, The Beam Trust, visual identity, brand guidelines and website creation.

This was then followed by the creation of a detailed marketing and communications plan to launch the MAT and continue the success of these schools.