Defining the look and feel of the science behind the perfectly imperfect family

The Science of Parenting, part of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, delivers research based guidance to help parents make informed decisions. Technically an organization within an organization within a state university, The Science of Parenting faced the challenge of presenting itself as a unique entity to its audience while observing the brand standards of its parent organizations. Measure explored creative uses of existing ISU brand elements such as seldom used colors and unusual typographic compositions that allow The Science of Parenting to have its own identity under the umbrella of the ISU brand. A system of graphic elements, icons and patterns give the brand endless variety while better connecting with its core audience.

The Science of Parenting believes that all families are different and require different approaches to raise happy, healthy kids. We introduced the imperfect circle as a recurring visual theme to reinforce the idea that there is no single mold that all families must fit—we are all perfectly imperfect. Organic forms bring a human quality to the brand.

Approachability and scientific research aren’t necessarily two concepts that go hand in hand, but they are both critical to The Science of Parenting’s mission. To help convey both, we created a graphic system of bar charts representing figures of different family structures. The figures help soften the idea of data and can be rearranged to represent any configuration of family members.