Fred Rogers Productions turning a 50-year legacy into a forward-looking brand

Branding | Naming | Tagline | Identity | Digital

Since the 1960s, Fred Rogers has been widely loved and universally admired as everyone’s favorite neighbor, through his pioneering show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The Fred Rogers Company built on his legacy as an expert in children’s entertainment by producing a range of diverse entertainment properties, and recognized that a rebrand would position the company for future growth.

Partnering with The Possibility Shop, we began a full audit and focus group test, which revealed that Fred Rogers’ name increased trust and buy-in, but the public was generally unfamiliar with what The Fred Rogers Company did. However, they were very familiar with the company’s flagship property, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, a hugely successful animated show. With the goal of clarifying the company’s mission, new names and taglines were further tested before deciding on:

Identity and Tagline

With research findings in hand—and a new name—we proposed strategically incorporating Daniel Tiger into the new identity as an official mascot, raising awareness and adding brand equity to both in the process. From this initial work, brand guidelines were developed, outlining the mission, values, and editorial voice of Fred Rogers Productions. A full graphic system was created—including patterns, colors, backgrounds, typography, and design elements—which allowed for multiple animation and live-action properties to live under a single, cohesive branded look.

BRAND Guidelines

The rebrand was rolled out across all touchpoints, from sales and promotional materials to social media and video, and used as the basis for the company website. With a new brand in place, and new shows, books, and games in the works, the future has never looked brighter for Fred Rogers Productions—or Fred Rogers’ legacy.