SMMIS – Evolving Brand Identity

Project Scope

Sir Manasseh Meyer International School (SMMIS) is a homegrown Jewish school.

Faced with increasing competition from new international schools, enrolment was falling, exacerbated by SMMIS’s move to a less central location. To reverse this trend, &Larry and Design Sojourn were engaged to help SMMIS understand parents’ perception of the school and evolve its brand identity.

To better understand how SMMIS is viewed by its various stakeholders, Design Sojourn conducted stakeholder research through workshops, interviews and focus groups. This was done with parents (including parents of ex-students), teachers, staff, and trustees to understand their needs and challenges.

Through the research, we

identified gaps in parents’ perception and the communication of the school
defined parent personas that helped SMMIS better understand the needs of parents

As a result, recommendations include restructuring the curriculum to better meet the needs of students and parents, and better communication channels with parents and the public.

Some of the new brand positioning implementation by &Larry:

a redesigned brand identity and
new imagery for website & marketing collaterals that better communicates the warm & nurturing school environment of SMMIS and its Jewish cultural identity.