30th June 2013 ‘Squared’ (sometimes referred to as ‘Google Squared’) is a new education initiative developed by Google in London and piloted in 2012. I discovered Squared in February of last year, when I met some recent graduates from another advertising agency who had been invited to join the first, in house pilot round of the programme.



I instantly resonated with Squared, as I’ve never embraced our slow and outdated educational system. I joined the creative and advertising industry when I was 17, having skipped college and University; so I’ve spent my life learning by doing. I’ve followed Squared since it’s inception, watching it evolve into the refined and respected educational programme that it is today. However, I’ve always felt that something was missing.







While the current brand identity is simple and balances metaphors well, it’s also quite limited and takes a backseat to the course itself, instead of encompassing all that it stands for. Now that Squared is established and trusted in the industry, I felt it deserved a new identity that reflects the quality of the programme. I wanted to create a symbol that students and mentors could wear with pride. Something brutally simple, yet tastefully inspired and instantly recognisable.

Every brand needs a reason to exist. Squared’s mission statement is to “Empower the leaders of today and tomorrow.”. I started by coming up with 10 words that embody that statement and the essence of the Squared brand.

Next, I spent some time sketching a custom typeface, inspired by Bank Gothic and Squared’s current use of Kelly Slab. ‘Squared’ is now styled as ‘SQUARED’ to make the letterforms appear stronger and more confident.

After experimenting with variations on Bank Gothic and similar typefaces, I realised that they looked like they belonged on an old Sci-Fi movie poster. They were generic and forgettable. I decided to drop the word mark completely and focus solely on the Q, the letter that bears the closest resemblance to a square while retaining it’s legibility.

After more sketching, I quickly settled on what would become the new symbol for SQUARED.

The new logo is modern, minimal and instantly understandable. It bears a striking resemblance to a mortar board, after the tassel has been flipped to the wearers left to signify graduation. This is the reason the tail is aligned to the right instead of the center.

The logo also resembles a magnifying glass, a subtle nod to Google Search.

A strong and simple sans-serif was needed to complement the new logo. I chose a personal favourite of mine and the typeface I use in my own Identity; Gotham.

Gotham is sensible, bold and modern. It has great proportions and omits the friendly curves found in Helvetica. Like the new logo, it’s also incredibly versatile. It’s various weights make it applicable virtually anywhere.

Arial is used as the secondary typeface, because it renders well on web and mobile and is frequently used by Google as their default sans serif.

The SQUARED tone of voice is loosely inspired by modern military recruitment ads. Bold, direct statements placed alongside a clear call to action and minimal visuals.

Framing features prominently in the SQUARED brand identity, adding depth and helping to drive focus towards key emotional elements of the images. The logo itself is a frame, both literally and metaphorically. It can contain your memories and experiences as a SQUARE, or be used to represent a blank canvas for your future.

SQUARED features a largely monotone and neutral palette. The entire identity has been designed to look beautiful in black and white.