Naming a new type of school

Services:

• Naming

• Brand positioning

• Workshop design

• Creative brief development

The Challenge
In 2022, co-founders Juan Villanueva and Lynne Yun were getting ready to launch their passion project: an online school to teach type design. But first, they needed the right name.

The Process
The project kicked off with an input session to develop the creative brief with Lynne and Juan. Together, we came up with: 

• The school’s mission is to be a more inclusive and accessible way for people all around the world to learn type design. It's not a traditional school with a linear path, but an opportunity for students and instructors alike to shape their own path within education and follow their interests and passions.

We were struck by the idea of shaping your own path. For the next stage in the process, I designed a naming workshop to invite collaborative brainstorming around the concepts of choice and versatility.

The Outcome

During our brainstorm, we landed on the word “electives.” We immediately knew it was right. “Electives” neatly signified the education space, but it also embodied all the qualities of the school itself: versatility, choice, and breaking the mold. A whole school of electives sounded pretty damn cool.

Type Electives launched in January 2023 and it is indeed pretty damn cool. In addition to the naming, I helped with the overall brand positioning and launch strategy, including drafting a press release to send to design-focused media outlets.

“Aptly named Type Electives and co-founded by renowned type designers and educators Lynne Yun and Juan Villanueva, this brand-new online design school is already enrolling students for the spring term.”

Article in TypeRoom, February 2023