Making Momentum Real for Every Student
Big Mo
THE ASK
How do you launch a new, high-profile initiative backed by seven public school districts and a host of other partners — and still make it resonate most with the young people it’s actually for?
That was the challenge from Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM) for a new college-access/promise scholarship program for high school students in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
THE OUTCOME
Say hello to Big Mo.
From the start, Big Mo was designed to be a bold step forward — a unifying program that could help every student in the county explore what’s next, find financial support, and make their move after graduation.
But with so many organizations involved and so much attention on the rollout, the project required clear vision, steady collaboration, and a relentless focus on its North Star: the students.
WHAT WE DID
Naming
Brand Identity
Strategic Marketing
Advertising
Video Production
GOING STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE
We knew the fastest way to lose a teenage audience is to sound like you’re trying too hard to win them over. If this program showed up with “Hello, Fellow Kids!” energy, it would be doomed. So before we ever designed a logo or wrote a line of copy, we went straight to the source.
Through a series of student focus groups and interviews across Spartanburg County (and beyond), we dug deep into how high schoolers think about life after graduation — their aspirations, anxieties, and the ways they want to be spoken to. They gave us honest feedback on everything: tone, visuals, general verbiage as well as specific words, how they use social media … you name it.
Their insight guided every creative decision that followed. We kept the language real, the tone confident but conversational, and the visuals clean and fresh with just the right amount of timeless retro cool.
NAMING SOMETHING THAT MOVES
If there’s one thing Spartanburg didn’t need, it was another initiative called something like “Higher Ed Promise” or “College and Career Pathways” or “Hub City Bridges to the Future Brought To You By All of Us In This Here Conference Room.”
This program needed its own identity — something bold, current, and full of energy.
After exploring hundreds of ideas, one name cut through the noise: Big Mo.
Short for Momentum (or Movement or Moves or Money or …), it captured everything the initiative stands for — most of all, possibilities, and the idea that once you start, good things follow. The name opened creative doors instantly, giving us room to play with language (“Make Your Move,” “Ask Big Mo”) and build a voice that felt both powerful and personal.
A VISUAL BRAND THAT POPS
Big Mo’s visual identity had to be just as strong as its message. We developed a bright, flexible, endlessly fun color palette to go along with bold typography and a logo that conveys movement and confidence without feeling corporate or institutional.
The result is a brand that feels youthful, not childish. Messaging that’s inspiring, not preachy. And it’s adaptable across audiences, from students and parents to school counselors and community partners.
FROM BRAND TO MOVEMENT
Once the foundation was in place, we helped SAM and its partners bring Big Mo to life everywhere it needed to show up:
Website – A fun, accessible hub that makes next steps feel simple, not overwhelming.
Print collateral – Rack cards, one-pagers, posters, and banners tailored for students, parents, and educators.
Launch campaign – A countywide rollout plan, complete with social media strategy, school-based materials, and earned media support.
Ongoing support – Social content development and management, web updates, and ongoing creative consultation to keep momentum strong post-launch.
THE RESULTS
Big Mo launched to an incredible reception, with awareness spreading quickly across Spartanburg County as schools hosted Big Mo events — leading to nearly 600 students signing up within its first month and more than 1,000 before the end of the fall semester, far surpassing the client’s expectations.
For SLANT, it was a chance to do what we love most: helping partners turn complex collaborations into clear, compelling stories that connect with real people.
And now, it’s helping a whole generation of students make their move.
