Common Sense Media
Showing industry leadership with the Common Sense Selection seal program

Goal

Cement the Common Sense brand and industry leadership position with a comprehensive recognition program and brand forward seal design.

Results

Industry approval and increased brand awareness: Apple, Disney, and other media outlets display the Common Sense Selection seal on their platforms, marketing, or packaging. For edtech learning media awardees, 66% display the seal in their marketing or on their websites.

Customer approval: Parents say they are 60% more likely to say "yes" to content labeled with both an age rating and a seal.

My Role

As the in-house brand and design leader, I was the project owner and initiator. I proposed the new strategy combining the two programs. I managed the external design agency and internal stakeholders. I partnered closely with the marketing and business development teams for the program rollout.

The Team

VP of Brand and Design (me), external agency Pentagram/Emily Oberman


The challenge

Common Sense had two recognition programs, one for exceptional family-friendly media, and the second for classroom edtech tools. But the programs were not connected, and they were not up to par with the strong position Common Sense holds as a leader in both spaces.

The seals are awarded to selected movies, TV shows, and other media with the potential to affect learning, spark family conversations, entertain families of all types, and make a lasting impact on individuals or on culture as a whole.

The solution

In order to cement our brand and industry leadership position, we connected the programs and redesigned the seal. The new name and look of the seal program were created to put an appropriately forward-looking face on Common Sense as an industry leader—an update that speaks to today’s media and digital well-being landscape—and to carry the program into the future. The system provides flexibility and consistency across a widening array of environments, and across categories, while maintaining the look and feel of the brand.

Research shows parents are 60% more likely to say "yes" to content labeled with both an age rating and a seal. Apple, Disney, and other media outlets and edtech companies display the Common Sense Selection seal on their platforms, marketing, or packaging.

For educators the seal is the only independent, non-profit, and fully vetted awards for edtech and learning media. Educators trust Common Sense as a curator of exemplary edtech tools and learning media. A full 66% of learning media awardees display the seal on their websites or in their marketing.

For our platform partners, we developed a mini icon version — perfect for displays with limited pixel area. It’s paired with the age rating to signal the content is noteworthy, and for a specific age range. All assets are available in English and Spanish.