Context
About TOSA
TOSA, Taiwanese Overseas Student Association, is a student organization geared towards promoting Taiwanese cultures and serving mainly but not limited to Taiwanese students. TOSA strives to make incoming students feel welcome and at home every year. At the beginning of every autumn quarter, we host Majors Information Night in order to answer questions regarding college life adjustment, settling down in Seattle, classes, majors, etc. We are here to promote the awareness of Taiwanese culture in foreign communities and help Taiwanese graduate and undergraduate students have a smooth transition to UW.
Logo Redesign
Audit
Lack of Resonance and Emphasis on Chinese Calligraphy
- The use of Chinese calligraphy in the logo was not effective in conveying cultural emphasis and connection to the college student audience
- The use of vibrant colors in Chinese calligraphy deviates from traditional techniques, which typically involve the use of black ink
- The structure of Chinese calligraphy is closely tied to the structure of Chinese characters, making its application to English alphabets seem incongruous
- Chinese calligraphy is a cultural practice that is not specific to Taiwan but is also found in other Asian cultures
Change in Customer Profile
As mentioned above, the purpose of TOSA is to welcome and introduce incoming Taiwanese students to the University of Washington and the Seattle community, making our main audience Taiwanese students who are actually raised in Taiwan and in fact, had experienced the culture for a huge portion of their lives. Due to this fact, I’m motivated to create a logo that resonates with our audiences; furthermore, I’m looking into creating a hidden message that would only be meaningful for someone who actually knows our culture.
Ideate
Concept Development
Solution
Final Design
Concept
Taiwan Railway System
The geometric shape in the logo is inspired by the symbol of the Taiwanese railway system, which is a ubiquitous yet often overlooked aspect of daily life in Taiwan. This symbol has a rich history and has been used by multiple governmental institutions throughout Taiwan's history. By incorporating this symbol into the logo, we aim to bring attention to its significance and the cultural heritage it represents.
Form
- I deliberately designed the logo with simple, linear shapes to make it easily replicable by hand and adaptable to various settings.
- The circular shape of the logo creates a square-like footprint, making it ideal for social media display photos, thus benefiting promotional efforts.
Color Choices
I preserved the color choices of the previous logo, because not only they are very vibrant and cheerful (which is consistent with our organization’s vibe) but also they are very representative colors.
(Example from Left to Right: Tourism Bureau, EasyCard Corp. (Transit pass), Taoyuan International Airport, New Taipei City Gov., Taichung City Gov., Kaohsiung City Gov.)
Visual Elements
Official Name Stamp
The outer circle in the logo not only enhances the overall visual design but also serves as a subtle nod to the enduring relevance of the official name stamp (印鑑) that was introduced during the period of Taiwan under Japanese rule, which continues to be used as a second factor of authentication for official documents in present-day Taiwan.
Clerical Script
The inner circular symbol of the logo is heavily influenced by the clerical script of the Chinese character 台 (pronounced: Tai), which is often used as an abbreviation for Taiwan (台灣).
The evolution of the Chinese character 台
Impact
Applications
The logo has been widely used in various applications and settings since.
