Cisco Inclusion & Collaboration Communities
Cisco’s Inclusion and Collaboration Community (ICC) provides a platform for diverse groups to connect, build powerful new relationships, explore their unique passions and talents, innovate, and excel. The ICC includes dozens of groups including Employee Resource Organizations (EROs), ICC Networks, Virtual Groups, I&C Ambassadors, and Cisco Citizen Networks.
The Challenge
Cisco ICC had a logo system with many issues. First, the design no longer reflected the Cisco brand. Additionally, Cisco ICC was rapidly expanding and the logo system was not designed to evolve with that expansion.
The third, and biggest challenge, was that some of the larger groups, such as Cisco Pride and Women of Cisco, already had logos created independently that reflected Cisco’s new visual identity. Furthermore, these logos were in use and possessed brand equity. In other words, those logos could not be changed.
So that’s quite a challenge – a brand new system of logos for large variety of groups that already includes logos that cannot be altered.
Solution
Before design work even began, first we had to determine who needed what. Some groups needed very distinct, individualized logos. Other groups did not. So as a result, many groups were able to use the same graphic, with color and text being the only edits. The same occurred with health groups and employee networks.
Design Methodology
Since I had two logos in the system already that could not be altered, I used them as my starting point. I borrowed visual elements from each – a tine from the Pride logo, and the circle from Women of Cisco. Combined, these elements create an icon of a person. How perfect is that?
This icon became the glue in this new system. It was included in every logo created in the system. Combined with a minimal color palette and the Cisco typeface, the system was complete.
Results
The system was immensely successful. The results show a logo system that is consistent, but with enough flexibility to be unique when needed. And its future-proof. As new groups are added, new logos can be added using the methodology as a clear starting point.