During the research phase, I also began creating moodboards for different directions aiEDU could go (which you'll find below). It was incredibly helpful to define the aesthetics of co-petitors in what we liked, didn't like, and wanted to ultimately emulate while staying true to aiEDU and creating a brand that had more intention than the typical STEM education brand. 

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We wanted aiEDU to...

• Feel accessible to a large population of students, not just STEM, male students (which were historically catered to visually and programmatically in other organizations). 

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• Emulate FUN. This ethos is a huge part of aiEDU's north star and guides a lot of their product development. We were always asking ourselves: would students be excited to come to class when aiEDU materials were being taught?

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• Be scalable. This branding, though flexible, needed to guide design decisions across educational, marketing, and fundraising materials across print and digital platforms, in perpetuity.

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• Outlast trends. Though the aiEDU audience is young, it is an educational organization that tackles complex topics and social issues. The products they create are content-heavy and although they are fun and current, are not built around consumer aesthetics or within the silicon valley bubble. Thus, the brand system needed to cater to clear, simple visuals with potential for fun yet leave space for serious conversations around gender, race, the environment, and privacy.