Branding Case Study

Ghana Institute of Horticulturists: A Simpler, Stronger Identity for a Professional Body

A proposed new corporate logo for the Ghana Institute of Horticulturists, presented to the Institute's Board with a full case for adoption and a phased rollout plan.

Client: Ghana Institute of Horticulturists (GhIH)
Year: 2026
Service: Branding & Graphic Design
Platform: Logo & board proposal

Project outcome

A simpler, stronger and more versatile identity that keeps the Institute's name, acronym, greens and plant symbolism, and works from a signboard to a lapel pin

01The Challenge

Understanding the business need

The Institute's crest carries real history: the GhIH acronym, three roundels of crops and flowers, a tree and the founding year. But its detailed shield, several illustration styles and small internal features made it hard to reproduce. On embroidered shirts, caps, badges, stamps and social-media profile images, the details disappeared and the Institute's name competed with the pictures.

02Our Solution

What we built

We put the GhIH acronym at the centre, in broad letters that stitch and print cleanly, and kept the plant symbolism in two simple leaves rising from the I, above curved lines for cultivated land. The palette narrows to two greens. Because a professional body changes its logo by decision, we also wrote the case for the Board: a side-by-side comparison, the meaning of each element, risks and mitigations, conditions before rollout and a phased implementation plan.

Design process

How the work came together

01 / 06
Where we started
The current crest has served the Institute well and carries recognisable horticultural and historical elements. But it has many separate symbols competing for attention, and its fine details are lost in embroidery, engraving and small print.
02 / 06
Ideation: lead with the acronym
The Institute is known as GhIH, so the acronym became the main recognisable asset. Two leaves rising from the I carry growth and renewal; the curved field lines stand for cultivated land and production.
03 / 06
Current and proposed
The proposal keeps the name, the acronym, the green identity and the plant symbolism: an evolution of the brand rather than a rejection of its heritage.
04 / 06
Two greens
A deep Institute green for the letters and field, and a fresh leaf green for growth. The mark also works in one colour and reversed in white.
05 / 06
From signboard to lapel pin
Broad lettering and simple shapes keep the logo identifiable at small sizes, on a single colour, reversed out of green or as a lapel pin.
06 / 06
Making the case to the Board
We presented the change as a six-page board paper: purpose, recommendation, a criterion-by-criterion comparison, the meaning of each element, risks and mitigations, conditions before rollout, a phased plan and a draft resolution.