How to say ‘Hallo’ - Curtiss Calleo

Branding, Digital

Letting a brand teach a language

How to say 'Hallo!'

A Brooklyn public school needed students to start a German Dual Language Program. But for the program to even get off the ground, a critical mass of parents needed to sign up their children – at the risk of forfeiting coveted spots at other schools. But with no dedicated classroom nor teacher, the German Dual Language Program was a tough sell to anxious Brooklynites.

We'll have them at "Hallo"

The key to the program’s success lay in quickly engaging parents and creating a relationship with the school. The solution was to turn every point of contact into a learning experience: The initial greeting— “Hallo”—was instantly approachable for English speakers, but taught basic German right away; the business cards doubled as flash cards; and all materials were written first in German, followed by an English translation.

A loveable logo

The personable logo became another opportunity to create a bond with children and parents alike. The goose is a frequent character in German children stories and songs. The (impossibly long) name of the program was stacked to evoke the fairytale German forest. The colors are those of the German flag.

Making friends

I created a visual universe of illustrated animals taken from German children’s stories. The characters participate in school activities and had the added benefit of reflecting the diversity of the Brooklyn neighborhood.