National Museum of the American Latino logo with the Smithsonian mark on a white banner hanging in a glass atrium.

National Museum of the American Latino - Branding

Client: Smithsonian Institution | Meraki Communications Group | Ogilvy

Brand Identity

Brand Identity

⊹

Brand Strategy

Brand Strategy

⊹

Brand Guidelines

Brand Guidelines

Overview

The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino is the first museum dedicated to the full story of Latinos in the United States — centuries of history, culture, and contribution that have never had a permanent home on the National Mall. Creative Cycle partnered with Meraki Communications Group and Ogilvy to co-lead the creative development of the museum's founding brand identity — a visual system that had to hold the stories of over 60 million people while standing proudly within the Smithsonian family.

Team

Portrait of Carlos Murguia

Co-Creative Director

Carlos Murguia

Portrait of Jose Caicedo

Co-Creative Director

Jose Caicedo

Art Director

Barbara Condemarín

Senior Designer

Edward Acaro

Deliverables

Brand Identity System

Brand Guidelines Document

Color Accessibility Framework

01

Challenge

This wasn't a typical branding project. The museum represents the lived experience of over 60 million Latinos in the U.S. — Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central and South American, Afro-Latino, Indigenous — communities with distinct histories, traditions, and visual cultures. A single identity had to hold all of that without flattening any of it.

The brand also needed to live within the Smithsonian — one of the most recognized institutional identities in the world. It had to feel distinctly Latino and unmistakably Smithsonian. That's a tension most brand projects never have to navigate. 

And it needed to work before the museum itself exists. No building, no permanent collection on display — just a mission, a name, and the weight of what it promises. The brand would be the first thing the public encounters. It had to carry the full story on its own.

01

Challenge

This wasn't a typical branding project. The museum represents the lived experience of over 60 million Latinos in the U.S. — Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central and South American, Afro-Latino, Indigenous — communities with distinct histories, traditions, and visual cultures. A single identity had to hold all of that without flattening any of it.

The brand also needed to live within the Smithsonian — one of the most recognized institutional identities in the world. It had to feel distinctly Latino and unmistakably Smithsonian. That's a tension most brand projects never have to navigate. 

And it needed to work before the museum itself exists. No building, no permanent collection on display — just a mission, a name, and the weight of what it promises. The brand would be the first thing the public encounters. It had to carry the full story on its own.

National Museum of the American Latino stationery: letterhead, envelopes, business cards, and pencils.

The identity applied to stationery, with Proud to be US carried onto envelopes and pencils.

02

Solution

Three creative directors from three organizations brought different perspectives to the table — which is exactly what this project demanded. A brand for this community couldn't come from a single point of view.

We started with research and listening. Stakeholder interviews with Smithsonian leadership. Workshops with cultural advisors and community voices. Deep study of Latino visual traditions, art history, and design heritage — looking for what felt authentic without leaning on cliché. The goal wasn't to illustrate Latino culture. It was to design something that Latinos would recognize as theirs.

The visual identity system includes primary and secondary logos, a bold color palette drawn from the warmth and diversity of Latino cultural influences, custom typography that balances personality with institutional legibility, and supporting patterns and graphic elements that add richness across applications.

Color accessibility was a priority from day one. Every palette combination was tested for contrast compliance across digital and print, and verified for legibility by people with color vision deficiencies. A museum for all Latinos had to be visually accessible to all of them. 

Comprehensive brand guidelines were delivered so Smithsonian teams and partners could apply the identity consistently across print, digital, merchandise, environmental, and future museum spaces — a system built to scale as the museum grows from concept to reality.

02

Solution

Three creative directors from three organizations brought different perspectives to the table — which is exactly what this project demanded. A brand for this community couldn't come from a single point of view.

We started with research and listening. Stakeholder interviews with Smithsonian leadership. Workshops with cultural advisors and community voices. Deep study of Latino visual traditions, art history, and design heritage — looking for what felt authentic without leaning on cliché. The goal wasn't to illustrate Latino culture. It was to design something that Latinos would recognize as theirs.

The visual identity system includes primary and secondary logos, a bold color palette drawn from the warmth and diversity of Latino cultural influences, custom typography that balances personality with institutional legibility, and supporting patterns and graphic elements that add richness across applications.

Color accessibility was a priority from day one. Every palette combination was tested for contrast compliance across digital and print, and verified for legibility by people with color vision deficiencies. A museum for all Latinos had to be visually accessible to all of them. 

Comprehensive brand guidelines were delivered so Smithsonian teams and partners could apply the identity consistently across print, digital, merchandise, environmental, and future museum spaces — a system built to scale as the museum grows from concept to reality.

Street mural reading Proud to be US with the museum logo and fanned blue, yellow, and green shapes.
Street mural reading Proud to be US with the museum logo and fanned blue, yellow, and green shapes.

Proud to be US at wall scale, with the petals of the mark opening across a neighborhood mural.

03

Impact

The National Museum of the American Latino now has a founding visual identity that is distinctly Latino, authentically Smithsonian, and built to grow. The brand system provides the foundation for every future communication, exhibition, and public experience the museum will create — from its current programming to the day the building opens on the National Mall.

This project represents what Creative Cycle was built for: work that sits at the intersection of culture, strategy, and identity — where design isn't decoration but a form of translation. Three creative directors, three perspectives, one identity that had to hold 60 million stories. We're proud to have been part of the team that built it.

03

Impact

The National Museum of the American Latino now has a founding visual identity that is distinctly Latino, authentically Smithsonian, and built to grow. The brand system provides the foundation for every future communication, exhibition, and public experience the museum will create — from its current programming to the day the building opens on the National Mall.

This project represents what Creative Cycle was built for: work that sits at the intersection of culture, strategy, and identity — where design isn't decoration but a form of translation. Three creative directors, three perspectives, one identity that had to hold 60 million stories. We're proud to have been part of the team that built it.

Four social posts reading Proud to be US and What's your story? in green, blue, and white.

Social posts built from the same parts: the campaign line, the pattern, and a question people can answer.

Blue wayfinding sign listing collection, gallery, and learning center, beside a museum entrance banner.

Wayfinding at museum scale, where the color system has to stay legible from across the lobby.

More projects

More projects

The four new People Power Publishers book covers, each on its own process-ink field of cyan, yellow, magenta, and black: Going Behind the Sun, Authoritarianism is a Systemic Risk, Soup Throwers and Super Gluers, and Deciders.

People Power Publishers

Client: Center for Nonviolent Conflict Research

The four new People Power Publishers book covers, each on its own process-ink field of cyan, yellow, magenta, and black: Going Behind the Sun, Authoritarianism is a Systemic Risk, Soup Throwers and Super Gluers, and Deciders.

People Power Publishers

Client: Center for Nonviolent Conflict Research

DCPCA logo stickers in blue, white, and black on a laptop trackpad, one showing the full name District of Columbia Primary Care Association.

DCPCA Rebrand

Client: District of Columbia Primary Care Association | TESS Partners

DCPCA logo stickers in blue, white, and black on a laptop trackpad, one showing the full name District of Columbia Primary Care Association.

DCPCA Rebrand

Client: District of Columbia Primary Care Association | TESS Partners

The Hum logo on a yellow wall above a podcast set with two chairs, microphones, and a table.

The Hum - Brand Development

Client: Center for Nonviolent Conflict Research

The Hum logo on a yellow wall above a podcast set with two chairs, microphones, and a table.

The Hum - Brand Development

Client: Center for Nonviolent Conflict Research

Three SSATP mobility reports in French and English, one open to a section on financing, on a grey background.

SSATP Africa Transport Policy Program - Reports

Client Name: SSATP Africa Transport Policy Program

Three SSATP mobility reports in French and English, one open to a section on financing, on a grey background.

SSATP Africa Transport Policy Program - Reports

Client Name: SSATP Africa Transport Policy Program

⊹

More projects

More projects

More projects

More projects

FAQ

Get quick answers about working with us and our approach to digital solutions.

Ask a question

Ask a question

What’s included in a monthly retainer?

01

Each retainer includes a set number of design or strategy requests per month, priority turnaround, and a dedicated point of contact. It’s built for teams who want ongoing support without starting from scratch every time.

How many requests can I make per month?

02

We typically handle up to two active requests at a time, with new ones queued as they’re completed. Most deliverables are turned around within 48–72 hours, depending on complexity.

Is a retainer better than a one-off project?

03

If you need ongoing design support, faster turnarounds, or regular iterations, a retainer is often more cost-effective and collaborative than starting fresh each time.

Who will I be working with?

04

You’ll work directly with senior designers and strategists. No middle layers, no fluff—just experienced people doing the work.

Do you work with international clients?

05

Yes. Most of our clients are remote. We’re fully set up to collaborate across time zones with clear communication and shared tools.

Let's talk

hello@creativecycle.io

2303 Cavendish Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308

Virginia

Make it happen

Let's talk

hello@creativecycle.io

2303 Cavendish Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308

Virginia

Make it happen

Let's talk

hello@creativecycle.io

2303 Cavendish Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308

Virginia

Make it happen