The Challenge
Trafford Youth Trust provides young people in Trafford with access to educational, cultural, and leisure opportunities they might miss otherwise.
The original logo felt like it belonged in a primary school. For an organisation targeting 16+, this created three issues: it blurred the line between youth work and children’s services, it weakened trust with older teens who are brand-aware, and it struggled on digital channels and merchandise.
The trust needed an identity that spoke directly to teenagers and young adults, held up under public-sector scrutiny, and worked across web, social, print, and physical spaces.
Our Approach
This was a full identity refresh built from the existing logo. We kept recognisable elements where they helped and rebuilt the rest for a digital-first, youth-facing brand.
We audited youth programmes and trusts across the UK to understand how they presented themselves and where Trafford Youth Trust could stand apart. From there, we focused on three things: clarity for teenagers and young adults, clear separation from school and council branding, and robust performance across digital and print.
Accessibility, usability, and scalability sat at the centre of the work. The identity had to stay legible at small sizes, reproduce reliably in low-budget print, and work cleanly on social media profiles and merchandise.
Designing a Youth-First Visual Identity
We rebuilt the core mark around a TYT monogram that can stand alone as a symbol on social channels, badges, and signage. The visual direction was simple: it should feel closer to a label young people would wear than a council service badge.
We paired the symbol with a typography system and colour palette that stay strong on phones and posters and meet accessibility expectations. Together, these elements form a flexible visual identity that works in single-colour applications, full-colour campaigns, and partner lockups.
Trafford Youth Trust left with:
- A TYT symbol and suite of logo lockups for web, social media, print, and signage.
- A defined colour palette and typography system suitable for public-sector use and youth communications.
- Lightweight brand guidelines covering logo usage, colour, and basic layout, so internal teams and partners can apply the identity consistently.
The new identity gives the trust a recognisable presence across youth centres, events, and digital channels and set a clear foundation for future campaigns.
Work with us on youth and public-sector brands
We create brand and digital systems for:
- Councils and combined authorities
- Youth and education organisations
- Charities and CICs that need to prove impact and generate enquiries
Alongside identity, we design and build lead-ready websites, set up analytics and tracking, and run PPC and SEO campaigns that turn attention into registrations and referrals.
Ready to talk about your next brief?
If you’re responsible for youth or public-sector comms and your brand still looks “school newsletter”, we should talk.