Connecting Through Design: Branding for Community in Germantown

In Fall 2025, students in the junior-level graphic design & visual communication studio, GRAPH 301: Intro to Branding, partnered with Germantown United CDC (GUCDC) to develop new branding systems for small businesses and culinary entrepreneurs based in Germantown, our Philadelphia neighborhood.

The collaboration offered students a rare opportunity: to use their developing design skills not just to create, but to contribute — engaging in real-world branding challenges in the context of local identity, culture, and community.

Through this project, students explored branding not as a trend-driven aesthetic, but as a contextual communication tool that can help shape how a business or organization is seen, supported, and remembered. GUCDC connected students with a diverse list of neighborhood businesses ranging from legacy retailers and nonprofits to emerging cafes and cultural spaces. Many of the students, some of whom are themselves from Philadelphia or neighboring communities, found personal resonance in the work, drawing from their own lived experiences to make culturally relevant, grounded design decisions.

In Project 1, students reimagined visual identities for legacy businesses, developing logo systems and brand toolkits that reflected both heritage and forward-thinking design. In Project 2, they tackled branding as an immersive culinary experience, designing systems for food-based businesses that included menus, packaging, websites, and other branded touchpoints. Field research included a guided walking tour of Germantown with GUCDC’s Matthew George, where students photographed signage, spoke with business owners, and collected material references for their design concepts.

This hands-on process encouraged students to consider design as more than problem-solving — it became a means of relationship-building. They practiced responsive, ethical design approaches that respected the values and realities of the people and places they were designing for.

The results were thoughtful, adaptable brand systems that emphasized accessibility, narrative, and community connection. And while the work was academic in nature, GUCDC plans to share several student concepts directly with business owners, encouraging further conversation and potential collaboration beyond the classroom.

Notable projects include Deanna Brown’s design for the Jamaican chicken pop-up stand Jerk Squad, which brings the beloved Germantown chicken stand to a storefront branding system. Deanna based her design on her own Jamaican heritage and infused it with a contemporary style.

Yadira Villa created a brand for Maplewood Mall, a historic urban landmark that has undergone renovations since its initial construction in the 1970s and is currently undergoing revitalization by local Black business owners.

And Philadelphia Vision Center, a provider of affordable eye care to Germantown residents since the ’70s, was given a look by Jocelyn Williams that matches the sophisticated eyewear they bring at a low cost to the community.

At its core, this project exemplifies what the School of Design and Engineering strives for: fostering creative excellence with impact. It’s a model for how students can build professional skill while deepening their connection to place, people, and purpose — one project, and one neighborhood, at a time.