Inspire Early Education was born from the intersection of beliefs and values of its parent company meeting the needs and longings of the US parent. There was space for a new kind of childcare provider in the US, and we helped define that space while filling it in.
At Bernstein-Rein, we believe retail intelligence comes from consumer insights, a true brand purpose, and half a century of unrivaled experience. We put these beliefs together to accelerate growth. This approach is called Retailigent™ – it's what drives our work every day.
Identifying the space where a brand’s DNA intersects with consumer insights provides fertile ground for building a brand with meaning and purpose.
Finding childcare in the US is stressful. Parents need flexible options that fit their budget while making sure their children are cared for by educators whose approach aligns with their belief system. As a Canadian-based company launching a new brand in the US, it was imperative to build a brand that reflected the parent company’s mission of fostering growth through a culture of kindness, innovation, diversity, courage and optimism, while also resonating with the unique mindset of the US consumer parent.
We began by reaching out to parents to understand the emotions they were experiencing, what they were looking for in childcare options and what factors impacted the perception and confidence of childcare centers around them. They responded with what really mattered and the length of time it took to search out and compare providers.When we overlayed what we heard with what we knew about the category, we found a space to set ourselves apart while connecting with the heart and emotional mindset of the parent. We focused on the common goal of both the brand and the parents, showing how we share the same vision for something better. Our insight would allow us to lock arms with them on the journey of raising their children and essentially become an extension of their village. We established our brand idea – We believe in better.
With the brand idea solidified, we constructed a brand framework that defined the brand hierarchy as they acquired new centers. The framework included core values embodying their culture and beliefs, a brand archetype that set the tone and voice, and we defined a custom target audience – the “Hipennial Mom.”Brand name and identity were next. Through our research, we developed long and short naming conventions, and after rigorous ideation sessions, gave birth to Inspire Early Education. That led to a complete brand identity system including logo, font system, color palette, and identity system.Inspire Early Education is the culmination of not only who the organization is – its purpose and values - but how they shape the lives of the children who come through their doors.
The circles from the logo are our primary graphic device and the first choice when choosing a graphic element to represent the brand. We can use elements from this asset library to incorporate images/ text/ CTA in our UI-UX world.
However, this is not the primary expression of the logo— it is simply an option when a composition needs to be more dynamic. Using it sparingly is ideal.
Our design philosophy:
Brand patterns allow us to stay consistent with our branding without heavily relying on just the logo. They are derived out of the circles which form the logo.
They give the brand a visual relief and can be used in web/digital backgrounds to help break up sections. In addition to creating a strong brand recognition, they bring depth to the brand identity, and create a memorable brand experience.
The idea is to create visual interest and add to the overall experience. It creates an immediate emotional connection with the audience and adds greater depth to the brand.
We’ve given this brand life through the digital ecosystem and the launch of their first website: inspireschools.com. As parents embark on the journey to find the perfect childcare option for their child, the website is the first step in telling the brand story and inviting them into a brand experience.
is looking to expand to 200 centers in the next 18 months. The digital experience will be the digital front door to driving lead generation, scheduling center tours, and delivering an immersive childcare experience for new parents. BR will continue to bring the brand to life at all moments of impact along the customer journey to ensure further growth for Inspire.
