Wolff Olins Understands The Mission

In the United States, 1 in 5 people live with learning and/or thinking differences (such as dyslexia and ADHD) while 1 in 4 people have some type of disability. Advocating for these underserved people is the mission of Understood and they turned to Wolff Olins to help with a rebrand – featuring a transformation of the organization’s signature “U” logo into an ever-evolving identity that visualizes “Shape the World For Difference.”

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The rebrand features different shapes shifting around the signature “U” logo – representing how those in family, education, and workplace settings can be empowered with Understood’s online resources and support. The effort also features a sonic identity created by Listen to help those who have trouble with sensory processing, a custom dyslexia-friendly typeface created by the Wolff Olins team and Displaay Font Designer Martin Vácha, and illustrations by Ka Young Lee. All told, the rebrand includes a new design system; website design; brand architecture; ADA-compliant color palettes; inclusive photography, illustration, and animations; a new sonic logo, music and tone/voice guidelines to increase accessibility for all users, including those who learn and think differently.

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 “The needs of the diverse communities we serve, from grandparents to principals, from young adults to employers, informed all aspects of our new brand ecosystem,” said Nathan Friedman, chief marketing officer of Understood. “The redesigned brand will help ensure that our resources engage as many people as possible and help them thrive in school, at work, and throughout life.
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