A brand built on belonging
Australia’s oldest Anglican girls’ school had 170 years of history and a remarkable community, but a profile that hadn’t kept pace with its standing. The school wanted a brand that expressed the true character of its community and the young women it shapes. Through deep consultation we uncovered the school’s defining strength and built a new brand around a single idea: Together.
We began with a number of lengthy sessions with Headmistress Deb Magill, then ran workshops with the leadership team, staff, parents, alumni and students. One theme ran through every group. St Catherine’s girls are quietly determined, and they are never alone. Support from teachers, families and peers is part of everyday school life, and confidence grows out of that sense of belonging.
We built the positioning around a single word: Together. It captures the relationship between individual strength and collective support: the courage to step forward, the resilience to keep going, and the knowledge that a whole community stands behind you. A confident brand voice celebrates tenacity and grit while always returning to that collective spirit. Four pillars give the idea depth and direction: Strength in action, Standing together, Guided by faith and Designed for her.
We kept the school’s crest but redrew it significantly to improve legibility. We crafted a new wordmark from the engraved lettering found throughout the school grounds, and added a full suite of logo configurations and a new St Cath’s logotype. The colour palette reinstates forgotten colours from the school’s archives, adding the energy of its students and its ocean setting. Paired with a refined typographic system, the result is a visual language with warmth, energy and purpose that honours 170 years of history while looking firmly ahead.
We extended the brand across campaign concepts and print and digital collateral, supported by comprehensive brand guidelines. A full suite of templates and assets equips the school’s in-house design team to apply the identity consistently and confidently in every future communication.
