Client: Pleasant Hill Elementary School
Location: Kissimmee, Florida
Project: Panda Mascot & Elementary Brand Identity
School Type: Elementary School
School District: Osceola County School District
Background: Student-centered Pleasant Hill Elementary emphasizing collaboration and creativity needed a friendly Panda mascot to resonate with young learners and build pride.
Our Task: Create an endearing Panda mascot connecting with elementary children while establishing distinctive presence and warmth within Osceola County School District.
Our Action: Designed friendly panda face in circular badge with “HOME OF THE PANDAS” banner, playful yet structured visual system for campus-wide rollout.
Outcome: Warm, positive Panda identity deployed across educational and community contexts. Strengthened school pride and immediate recognition among students and families.
- Establish a bold red, black, and white color palette that creates strong recognition
- Build a cohesive identity that supports the school’s emphasis on collaboration and creativity
- Create a system that balances child-appeal with educational credibility
Strategic Approach
Our research into elementary school branding revealed the importance of creating identities that genuinely engage young children while providing the institutional structure expected by parents and the community. The visual system needed to appear approachable and friendly while supporting the school’s educational mission and values.
The panda was selected as the ideal mascot for several strategic reasons:
- Pandas naturally appeal to children through their distinctive appearance and gentle associations
- The black and white coloration creates immediate visual recognition and strong contrast
- The animal symbolizes peaceful strength, collaboration, and steadiness – values aligned with the school
- The character can be rendered in ways that project both friendliness and dignity
- The distinctive face creates immediate recognition even in simplified applications
The color palette of red, black, and white was strategically chosen to:
- Create a bold, energetic presence through the dominant red background
- Utilize the panda’s natural black and white coloration for character recognition
- Establish strong contrast that ensures visibility across applications
- Create a distinctive presence that stands apart from other elementary schools
- Project both warmth and educational substance through color balance
Design Development
Mascot Creation
The Panda mascot was developed with careful attention to both child appeal and brand versatility:
- The friendly panda face creates immediate connection with young audiences
- The simplified treatment balances character with clean graphic forms
- The expressive features (eyes, smile, ears) provide personality and warmth
- The circular background creates a natural framing device
- The balanced design communicates both friendliness and stability
The final design features an appealing panda character centered in a circular badge with the “HOME OF THE PANDAS” designation curving along the top. The “PLEASANT HILL” wordmark is boldly positioned below in a banner treatment, with “ELEMENTARY” as a supporting descriptor, creating a balanced composition with strong visual hierarchy and immediate appeal to young children.
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