A Brand Refresh

As we decided to relaunch Game Genius in late 2020, it presented us with an excellent opportunity to redesign our brand to better reflect the work we do for the community. Many liked the original logo for its abstract and non-conformist style, but they also agreed that it didn't offer much about Game Genius as an entity.

So we started playing around with design concepts. Our goal was two-fold: (1) we wanted a logo that had flexible use. The original logo was built in a paint program with minimal ability to adapt for different backgrounds and layouts. We constructed the new logo in Adobe Illustrator with the ability to quickly shift to any color scheme, while also considering applications for both a rectangular and square profile. (2) We wanted Game Genius to come across as a non-digital, play-based organization. Our old logo evolved from our founder's previous career as a professional golfer. To him, it depicted a golf ball on a tee and a person celebrating. The new logo blends tabletop game pieces that represent the three branches of Game Genius:

Pawn: Game Genius believes that play can empower people to make big impact, much like the journey of a pawn in chess. Every pawn represents a potential queen, so we offer play-based services to help changemakers get started and identify paths to success.

Scrabble Tile: Game Genius understands that words and stories matter. We see our public experiences and annual impact theme as a way for us to educate ourselves and others about important issues. We also recognize our work fits in a larger effort to drive meaningful change. The G is worth 2 points in Scrabble, and represents the start of something bigger, both literally (opening letters of Game and Genius) and figuratively (a catalyst for more impact).

6-Sided Die: Game Genius embraces uncertainty, discomfort, and failure. Taking risks and trying new things keep us curious and humble -- a great mindset for growth and innovation. Our independent game developments offer safe space to explore and entertain the open market. And when we find an effective game mechanic or approach, our direct services and public experiences benefit. It's this holistic 3-branch (empowering services, educational events, entertaining inventions) structure that makes Game Genius a smarter bet.