Sometimes the essence of clarity is getting complexity right

New Teacher Center is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to disrupt the predictability of educational inequities for systemically underserved students by accelerating educator effectiveness. Their programs, offerings, and approach are nuanced, intricate, and acutely responsive to the weather of the struggle for social justice.

The stakes were incredibly high—the lives of children.
Reducing them to simplistic messaging wasn’t an option.

Make a moment of change an opportunity for storytelling

New Teacher Center’s new logo was a first step at centering people in the rebrand. Hiker made a new lead video that brought the logo and brand to life with animation and motion graphics.

Do for the client what the client does for the people it serves

So much of NTC’s value proposition lies in the way their professional learning services provide support for educators that build trust and confidence, both within themselves and in their school communities’ ecosystems generally. Accordingly, it was vitally important for us to build close working relationships with the team at NTC that were rooted in trust, connection, and empathy. Together we co-created clear brand guidelines that focused on asset-mindset and systems-centered thinking. These guidelines informed writing approaches and image selection before our team members ever wrote a word or drew a line.

Who they are and how they work should dictate your approach to working with them

Sometimes the storytelling solution for a brand is literally to include people’s stories

Hiker recognized that NTC’s educational community was an extraordinary and priceless resource of inspiring stories. We proposed embedding throughout the new website both written and audio stories from teachers, district leaders, students, coaches, and others who are not always prominently visible but are deeply connected to NTC’s work. These stories also have a home on the resource page.

People who are truly passionate about their experience have amazing things to say about it

“NTC began this journey with Hiker to connect our powerful mission and vision with a refreshed public presence and brand that elevates the humanity within our work, and repositions our organization as a catalyst for the change we seek in the world. Our relationship with Hiker helped us realize this aspiration in a beautiful and compelling expression of our work.Sometimes the storytelling solution for a brand is literally to include people’s stories.”

Arther Mills IV, Co CEO, New Teacher Center