CAST Tech Brand Identity Guide & Resources

KEY STATEMENT: The goal of CAST is to offer today’s youth a better path to tomorrow.

To accommodate and express all that CAST is, our GOAL was to create a brand system that literally moves and flexes to announce new industries and curriculum, as well as welcome new students and professionals. We accomplished our GOAL by developing a structured visual identity system that, while malleable, still creates consistent expression across all applications from signage and print, to advertising, and digital. -The DeBerry Group

CAST Vision

(Vision: is the "WHY" coming to life. What would the world look like if everything went perfectly, looking into the future)

Develop student problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking skills
Ensure all our students are academically prepared for higher education
Develop students’ career readiness, to include communication skills
Create a pipeline of citizens to address the workforce and leadership needs of San Antonio and beyond
Acts as a learning lab for future educators through the development of relevant curriculum, with a focus upon business and technology, and the implementation of personalized learning within the instructional design of the school

CAST Mission

(Mission: Are the steps taken to help advance the vision)

The CAST mission is to reinvent schooling to maximize options for students while preparing them for the jobs of the future. By partnering with CAST Schools, business leaders have the opportunity to play a direct role in the career readiness of students and provide mentorship to help students seamlessly transition into college or the workforce, while nurturing a homegrown and committed source of talent.
Student mentoring program (150 students participate in the student mentoring program with mentors from the workplace such as USAA, Accenture, and CPS Energy. Gives students an industry mentor that will guide them through high school)
Relevant curriculum with real-world issues
Industry partnerships, i.e. Coffee Chats, guest speakers
The work-based study, job shadowing, and internships
3 unique course pathways for specialization in business, technology or user experience
Learning lab for other schools, educators, leaders, and organizations.

CAST Philosophy

Relationships

Relationships include doing the right thing. Helping the CAST Community succeed. This goes for students, parents, educators, and others. The value of relationships means trust, honesty, and looking out for the people around you.

Our Philosophy in action:

Cubbies, not lockers
UX (User Experience) Pathway ideated by students and created by Former UX Educator and Industry Partners
Open Communication
Mentorship program
Industry and other community leaders are equal stakeholders in school design and governance; they collaborate and work alongside students and co-create everything from projects to school curriculum and schedule.
Open space and classrooms i.e. Windows instead of walls

Equity

Equity for CAST means everyone has a fair chance of achieving their goal. No matter what background you come from, you are all on an equal playing field. Students can reach their full potential.

Our Philosophy in action:

Opportunities open to students
Internships
Guest Speakers
Diversity
50% in and out of district

Youth Voice and Agency

CAST Tech is a school with youth voice and power. Students are always supporting the school, and the school is always supporting the students. Students are able to do take action if they take the initiative to do so.

Our Philosophy in action:

Yearbook creation
Going to out of state youth summits
Running the school social media page
Student podcast
School events

Authentic Learning

CAST Tech integrates the Philosophy of Relationships, Equity, and Youth Voice and Agency in every educational aspect. Relationships in learning include working real-world needs outside the school walls. Youth Voice in learning includes traveling to the workplace and designing relevant projects for real audiences with competitions, presentations, and other exhibitions. Equity includes every student learns effective collaboration, development of leadership and self-management skills, goal setting, and self-advocacy.

Our Philosophy in action:

Project-based learning model
Personalized learning embedded within the classes
Technology integration within all courses
Three specialized course pathways: business, cybersecurity, & (UX) User Experience
College-prep program with advanced courses, i.e., Pre-AP, AP, Dual Credit

CAST Tech Design

LOGO & TAGLINE

“Real Dreams. Real Futures.”

Like the people it represents, CAST has a distinguishable and recognizable personality. This personality, or MOOD, will be maintained through the use of concise brand architecture, naming, and segmentation, successfully expressed through an established graphic design language. Maintaining the MOOD of this brand is key to ensuring a strong common thread that connects the various campuses, current and past graduates, as well as current and future supporters. The CAST tagline is “Real Dreams. Real Futures.” should be used along with the logo when appropriate.

LOGO & COLOR

The colors used within the CAST brand are bold, fun, energetic, and youthful. CAST will have various campus locations, focusing on different ranges of disciplines.

Each campus location will have its own distinctive color for individual school communications and use.

CAST Tech Colors:

LOGO SIZE REQUIREMENTS

In printed collateral (communications, presentations, brochures, etc.), the logo must be at least 3/4 inch in width without type, and 1 1/2 inches wide with type.

SCREEN

On-screen (presentations, online, and other digital uses), the logo must be used at least 54 pixels in width without type, and 125 pixels wide with type.

LOGO AREA OF ISOLATION

To make sure the CAST logo is not crowded and remains prominent, it should be equally surrounded with a minimum safe area, represented by the dark “X” in the diagram at right. No design elements or content should ever violate this area. When layouts allow, use more than this required minimum of clear space.

INCORRECT LOGO USAGE

The CAST logo should not be modified in any way.

Do not italicize CAST or TECH.
Do not use colors not approved in the logo style guide.
The logo cannot be used without the approved logotype.
Do not place the logo inside any shape or border.
Do not place the logo over a gradient screen.
Do not outline the logo.

As seen in these examples of incorrect usage of the CAST logo, never change the proportions, the color orientation of, or use effect on the logo.

LOGO AS OVERLAY ON IMAGES OR COLORED BACKGROUNDS

One-color white logo can also be used over photography as seen to the right. Use the white one-color logo when overlaying on campaign colors orange and grey. Black can also be used.

Note: Never overlay single color logos on colors other than the approved brand colors. Also, one-color logo options can be used in the production of promotional items.

TYPOGRAPHY

Our primary Typeface is Gotham. It is a font family with several weights making it versatile as well as modern, friendly, and approachable. Gotham Book is the primary Typeface. Headlines are written in Gotham Medium. Please use Gotham exclusively in all CAST communications.

Another typeface is Chinese Rocks. This Typeface only uses one font making it limited. However, it is incredibly playful, eye-catching, and stylistic. Chinese Rocks may be used with approval from the CAST Tech Communications and Marketing Team.

CHAMPAIGNS & THEMES

I SPEAK GEEK

2017 Campaign

The DeBerry Group managed marketing efforts to educate the community about the school’s innovative approach to learning and to assist with recruiting applicants for CAST Tech’s first class of 9th-grade students. The marketing strategy was developed and managed by The DeBerry Group and included a robust social media marketing campaign across all CAST Tech social media channels and the development of all creative elements. CAST Tech welcomed its inaugural freshman class in Fall 2017.

LOGO COLOR VARIATIONS

Three colors used within CAST TECH. For the I Speak Geek campaign, a combination of the three-color and two-color logo is used. The two-color logo is primarily overlayed on campaign colors or photography/video.

I Speak Geek Campaign added a blue cyan contrasting color.

Use the white two-color logo when overlaying on campaign colors.

Note: Never overlay single color logos on colors other than the approved brand colors.

PRINT AND OOH

Use the white two-color logo when overlaying on campaign colors. Note: Never overlay single color logos on colors other than the approved brand colors. Also, one-color logo options can be used in the production of promotional items.

DIGITAL BANNERS

SOCIAL VIDEOS

WE ARE CAST

2020 Campaign

Greater Good Stories managed marketing efforts to introduce San Antonio about the 4 schools (CAST Tech, CAST Stem, CAST Med, & CAST Lead) innovative approach to learning and to assist with recruiting applicants for CAST. The marketing strategy was developed and managed by Greater Good Stories, as well as in house at CAST Tech by Communications and Marketing Intern Jonathan C. Rodriguez. And included a robust social media marketing campaign across all CAST social media channels. CAST Tech welcomes incoming 9th graders, and CAST Lead welcomes its inaugural freshman class in Fall 2020.

New Elements

During the We Are CAST Campaign, bold lines were added to the mix of visual elements. The campaign rehashed the contrasting blue as well. Emphasis on the potential careers was furthered as CAST Tech defines the pathways. Chinese Rocks appears in a mailed "Apply to CAST" marketing promotion.

CAST MARKETING EXAMPLES

(What to aim for)

For Spring Break CAST Tech included a new color for Spring Break, a contrasting magenta/ pink. The We Are CAST campaign elements were kept, using the orange line to divide the announcement and the logo. CAST Tech Logo is seen in orange solid color with the white.