A Conversation with FLCC

By Katie Kilfoyle Remis

Here’s a riddle for you: What conveys ‘cool’, ‘for science only’, and helps increase student success? It’s the new logo for The Incubator, a dedicated space for science students to get instructor help and peer tutoring at Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC). In May, FLCC won a Pinnacle award for the new logo that’s helped increase traffic by a whopping 421%!

AMA|Rochester interviewed Amanda Whitbeck, designer of the logo and FLCC’s assistant director of marketing, about how one image can accomplish so much.

Q. Explain the power of an effective logo. What does it do that can’t be achieved simply by posting signs telling science students that a study space is available?

The Incubator is the go-to place on campus where science students can interact with like-minded peers and delve into their studies – and academic passion – outside of the classroom. There is a certain “it” and “cool” factor to The Incubator that you can’t summarize in a few words. We wanted a logo that communicates a cool “for science only” vibe to make these students feel welcome and at home in their new space. We also wanted people to see The Incubator from all the way down the hallway, so the mark had to be highly visible in addition to communicating the feel and purpose of The Incubator. There is a 6-foot color wall cling of it on a support column just outside the door of The Incubator; you can’t miss it.

Q. How important was it to make the logo particular to science students? Would it have been as effective if the logo just highlighted the idea of a study space?

We have similar resources for providing assistance with math, writing, and other fields of study. The Incubator falls under the same umbrella as these services, but it is unique because of its science focus. It’s critical that the logo says “science” loud and clear in order to differentiate it from the other success resources. Additionally, The Incubator is in the same hallway as our science faculty offices and laboratories. The science-focused logo has evolved to become a landmark for the entire science hallway, letting students and visitors know that they are in our science wing.

Q. You don’t have a science background. How did you come up with the visual?

Sometimes, an outside perspective can be helpful. In this case, it forced me to start my design work with a lot of research. I Googled all sorts of science tools, theories, and processes, and I spoke to people at all levels from science students to teachers to researchers in various fields. I even poked around in our labs to see what tools I could spot that might lend themselves to a logo design, and I scrolled through countless science images on stock photography sites. My research paid off because it helped me spot some trends in tools used across the different sciences.

In a way, my lack of knowledge was a plus. I knew that if I could identify the object, it would be recognizable to science novices as well as experts.

The test tube is a fun shape with nice movement. It was also important to incorporate the college’s blue and green logo colors (which are in the contents of the test tube) to reinforce the FLCC brand.

Q. What other design considerations did you have to address?

I always start with black and white when I design a logo. This way, I know it will work if we need to do one-color printing or embroidery. And if it works in black and white, it will work in color. Luckily, we have excellent production equipment and materials here at FLCC, so the sky is the limit for design!

My favorite feature of this mark is that it has become so recognizable on campus that we’ve been able to use it with and without the tagline. When we just use the test tube, people still know what we’re talking about. This opens up the possibilities for applications because the test tube is vertical while the full logo is horizontal. Therefore, we can brand just about any space very effectively with this mark.

Q. Any advice to share with others who are designing logos?

Don’t be intimidated, even if you’re designing a logo for a subject matter you’re not familiar with. Rely on your research, and get input from your clients and subject matter experts. And of course, listen to your audience’s input.

Want to talk more about logo design with Amanda? Contact her at amanda.whitbeck [at] flcc.edu