EF G.U.D. 4: China

An appropriate modification to a global visual identity

Brand identity alignment for EF in China

EF Education First has had a significant footing in the English language learning sector in China since 1994. Because of this long term presence in the region, the company has built up strong brand recognition with customers all over the country in over 60 cities. Since opening the first school in Shanghai in 1998, there are now over 300 schools, thousands of teachers and a number of different products that service customers in all areas of language education, as well as travel and cultural exchange programs.

Role

Creative Director
Designer

Period

2019–20

Company

EF Education First

A system that’s inline yet geographically relevant

The new Chinese visual language had to correspond with the new, global visual norm that we developed for EF throughout 2018; but with relevant tweaks with typography and product lockups. Alongside Europe and North America, China is one of EF’s largest markets, and certainly the fastest growing. Out of the 116 countries that the company operates within, it’s one of the most important to provide creative solutions for considering it’s size and the pace of output.

A conscious effort to remove cultural bias

As the company pursues a new dawn in the country in 2020, there was a requirement for the core visual identity to catch up. I led the logo redesign effort, commissioning the type foundry 3Type to craft bespoke letterforms based on the character of EF Circular, the brand’s global Latin typeface. A big part of the design process meant working alongside native speakers in different departments within EF, along with external agencies for consultancy where appropriate.