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Jess Hylek

MFA in Graphic Design - 2 Yr Path — Graduate Graphic Design
Course:
Grad Studio 3
Faculty:
Lauren Cantor
Term:
2024 Fall

JANM Rebrand

The Japanese American National Museum has been a cornerstone of Los Angeles' Little Tokyo for over three decades, but with its audience evolving and collection expanding, I noticed it was fighting a battle of perceptions. While JANM is known for preserving the history of Japanese American internment during WWII, the museum has grown to champion the full spectrum of Japanese American life, culture, and resilience. This disconnect created an opportunity to reintroduce JANM as a living, multigenerational celebration of a community's enduring spirit.

Process:

Through market research and competitive analysis, I learned that while visitors consistently left impressed by the depth of JANM's galleries and programming, that surprise was itself the problem. People simply didn't know everything the museum had to offer. Visitorship had been declining not for lack of quality, but lack of awareness. After developing a strategic positioning, I identified the need to refresh the brand in a way that honored the museum's founding mission while clearly communicating its full breadth, from world-class exhibitions to cultural programming like the Giant Robot Biennale. 

The rebrand carries this energy forward through bold, eye-catching graphics and modernized Washi patterns. The logo extends JANM's founding wave identity, combining elements of the American and Japanese flags. The bars reference the ocean crossed by generations and the resilience forged through incarceration; the semi-circle speaks to new horizons. Joy and resilience united in a single mark.

Learning Outcomes:

This project gave me a deeper understanding of the strategy behind branding—developing a full brand audit, market analysis, audience insights, and competitive matrix before arriving at a strategic positioning. Grounding my creative decisions in that context allowed me to design with both clarity and purpose while honoring the heart of the institution.

Project Website:
https://jesshylek.design/janm
Tags:
Advertising,
Branding,
Identity Design,
UI/UX