MasterClass's brand promise centers around providing high-quality, accessible education delivered by world-renowned experts in various fields. The platform aims to democratize learning by allowing anyone, anywhere, to learn directly from the best in the business, whether it's in writing, cooking, music, sports, or other disciplines.
Modernization with a Classic Touch: The rebrand focused on evolving the MasterClass logo, maintaining its classical serif roots while giving it a modern twist. The new design reflects the brand's sophistication and open-ended potential, symbolized by The Underscore, which suggests a blank space waiting to be filled with new knowledge and skills.
Cinematic Identity: The new brand identity mirrors the cinematic quality of MasterClass content, positioning it as a best-in-class educational platform. The visual language is sophisticated yet flexible, allowing the instructors' diverse personalities to shine.
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The brand voice of MasterClass is authoritative yet approachable, often inspiring and motivational. It is designed to resonate with its audience's aspirations by combining the prestige of its instructors with the accessibility of its lessons. The tone is generally sophisticated but remains relatable, encouraging users to see themselves as capable of achieving greatness with the proper guidance.
Instructor-Centric Design:
Each instructor on MasterClass now has a unique visual identity, including a distinct nameplate, font, and colorway that reflects their personal style. This approach highlights the diversity of instructors and enhances the user experience by creating a more personalized and engaging learning environment.
Limited but Varied Palette:
The rebrand employed a limited secondary color palette and just two type families (Söhne and Ivar), allowing for various combinations. This flexibility supports the expanding roster of instructors and their varied expertise, ensuring consistency while accommodating diversity.
Commitment to Diversity and Growth: The rebranding strategy emphasizes MasterClass's commitment to diversity of thought and subject matter, reflecting the platform's broad and growing range of classes. It aligns with MasterClass's shift to a subscription model, successfully integrating the brand into mainstream culture.
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Unified Yet Diverse: The rebrand created a unified platform identity that still allows for the colorful variety of its offerings. This balance is crucial in maintaining brand consistency while celebrating each instructor's unique characteristics.
This rebrand was a strategic move to position MasterClass as an educational platform and a lifestyle brand, encouraging continuous learning and personal growth for a diverse, modern audience. The design choices reflect this, blending sophistication with adaptability to accommodate various subjects and instructors.