Lit | Branding — Ramy Abdel Nabi

Brand Development: Lit

Lit, a non-profit on a mission to ensure every kid, everywhere, is a reader, launched with a simple and scrappy brand identity.

After two years of rapid growth, the organization asked me to lead development of a sophisticated visual identity that authentically reflects its mission, values, and story.

My Role

As Chief Content & Learning Officer, I led Lit’s 6-person startup team, reporting directly to the CEO/Founder. In my role as producer and project manager for the rebrand, I guided the project from ideation through design and launch. I sourced our creative agency and oversaw asset production, including logo design, copywriting, and on-site photography. I managed website design and facilitated user testing prior to the site’s launch. I built style guides and corresponding design systems, and I trained Lit’s internal team on those systems to guarantee brand-aligned messaging and collateral post launch.

Creative Agency

To find a creative agency aligned with our values, I interviewed six agencies, compiling insights and presenting a comprehensive analysis to Lit’s CEO/Founder. We selected McCalman.co for their impressive portfolio and shared vision, confident in their ability to articulate our story effectively.

Visual Identity

We wanted to differentiate Lit’s brand identity from the typical corporate aesthetics prevalent in education and non-profit branding. We collaborated with McCalman.co to craft an identity that reflects Lit’s playful spirit and dedication to students and educators. The redesigned logo centers around a human figure, symbolizing our people-focused mission. The bold, block-like characters evoke the sense of discovery inherent in learning to read.

*Lit’s updated logo, designed by McCalman.co*

Recognizing the need for our visual identity to convey the profound importance of our work with kids in schools, we engaged photographer Kelly Marshall for a photoshoot at a Lit-affiliated school in Coney Island, Brooklyn. I organized and produced the shoot, curating the final assets for our new website.

Kelly’s photographs, intentionally film-like, exude raw authenticity. Their black-and-white aesthetic both contrasts and complements Lit’s vibrant logo and iconography.

Website

While UK-based developers built our website, I partnered with author Jeff Gordinier to craft copy that reintroduced Lit and compellingly conveyed our brand narrative.

Style Guides and Brand Systems

I developed style guides and user-friendly design systems using Canva and Google Workspace to ensure daily brand consistency. Post-launch, I trained the team on these tools, drawing inspiration from Debbie Millman to emphasize branding’s power to a marketing-agnostic team.