VCC

How do you make everyone feel welcome in the world of post-secondary?

With a new comprehensive campus plan in the works, VCC set out to revisit their brand to better communicate the lasting positive impact the college has on its students and the community. A new guiding Brand Idea—“Welcome to real learning, for real change”—created a fresh, modern, vibrant, welcoming-yet-everyday personality. And with indigenization a crucial part of the process, the brand identity was inspired by the form of the Coast Salish longhouse, a symbol of a welcoming gathering place.

What we did

  • Positioning
  • Brand architecture
  • Identity system
  • Messaging
  • Tone of voice
  • Qualitative research
VCC welcome message emphasizing real learning and community impact.

Brand Idea. Welcome to real learning, for real change. Manifesto. Welcome to Vancouver Community College, a friendly, warm, welcoming, everyday place of real learning. Welcome to access, the opening up of opportunity and change that education creates. The chance to find the belonging, support, respect, and connection that you've been looking for. Real learning is hands-on, practice-based, and industry-connected. Real learning is affordable, flexible, supported, and relevant. Real change is making a difference in people's lives and in our community. It's empowering the individual and collective progress we seek. It's equity in education and the breaking of expectations that hold us back. Welcome to making the change you dream of real. Welcome to VCC.

Brand Pillars infographic showing Be here, Know here, Grow here concepts.

Brand Pillars. Be here. Every member of our community is free to be who they are. They will be seen as an individual, they will be supported and celebrated as a member of the VCC community. Everyone is free to be. Know here. We learn that ways of knowing are tied to place and land, and that they are varied and complex. Our education comes from each other, from our instructors, and from all elements of creation. Grow here. VCC is a place of individual and collective growth. Through knowledge, understanding, and opportunity we develop and progress in our work and in our lives. We embrace the lifelong journey of change and progress.

Eco-friendly green water bottle with VCC logo and floral design.
Person wearing green apron with VCC logo over white shirt.
VCC quote with a green background and a black logo.

"For 144 years, VCC has played a vital role in serving our diverse community by providing a skilled workforce in the city, the province, and beyond. Our commitment to our learners and our community is unwavering. Now, we have a brand that truly reflects these values." Ajay Patel, VCC President and CEO

Four green VCC informational posters displayed on a brick wall in an office setting.
Green T-shirt with VCC visual identity and 'Know here' text for awareness.
Bright green tote bag with VCC visual identity and 'Grow here' slogan at VCC event.
Street sign indicating directions to Tower Rooms and Dunsmuir Street in Vancouver.
Sign for Steel Construction Modelling Lab at VCC with instructor Ron Palma.
VCC Viewbook cover featuring a woman with safety glasses and a gun.
A brochure page detailing Vancouver Community College's two campuses, programs, and student services in Metro Vancouver.