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Growth in motion: A brand transformation

3 Min Read
WF2026774 Rebrand Misc 2024 Blog Post Greg Daniels

A brand shapes how the world sees you. Today, countless brands are competing for our ever-more-divided attention. To win the heart of an audience, one must be a driver of both connection and progress.

With this in mind, we set out to update our brand to better reflect who we are today and who we are becoming. For HMH, a company with a long history and trusted reputation in K–12 education, we knew we needed to signal our transformation not only with a new look but also by clearly defining how we deliver value to our customers—and by showing that we share their purpose by helping all students reach their fullest potential.

We began by examining what we stand for and how we serve the education community. 

At our core, we create learning solutions that grow alongside teachers, students, and districts, constantly flexing to meet their needs. Our integrated curriculum, assessment, and professional learning use data to paint a full picture of all learners and identify options to support them. We empower educators with data insights and instructional recommendations to support what each student needs next.

Growth in motion and what it means

Our refreshed brand represents the idea of growth in motion. That is, we power dynamic learning that accelerates progress for every student.

  • Growth is the outcome we help create. It articulates our long-standing focus on pushing for progress, both big and small, and striving for better outcomes for students, educators, and communities.
  • Motion is our unique approach to driving growth in an environment that’s always changing. It speaks to our view of learning as a continuous cycle, as well as our adaptive solutions that constantly flex to meet students’ needs.

With this new outlook on our brand, we are shedding our long-form name, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, to become simply HMH. It is modern and direct, and while it still leans into our trusted brand identity, it represents that we have moved beyond our legacy as a traditional publisher. To further reflect this, we created a new, vibrant color palette and logo to showcase our transformation through a distinct and bold visual expression.

Together, our streamlined name, refreshed visuals, and new brand narrative are designed to telegraph our role as digital-first innovators and show an electric vitality that accelerates action and progress.

An adaptive learning company

Great brands connect with their audience emotionally, while being simple and consistent. HMH has always been focused on connecting with educators and partnering with districts. The programs and professional learning services that educators use every day are designed to help teachers keep kids growing.

To serve the educator community, we have integrated our evidence-based curriculum with NWEA’s best-in-class assessment, empowering teachers with actionable data and instructional recommendations. Ours is a truly unique offering, putting HMH at the forefront of growing the progress of students today.

Our streamlined ecosystem reduces the number of edtech tools for teachers to tap. We take administrative tasks off teachers’ plates, giving them time back so that they can focus on what matters most: building relationships with students and providing instruction that is personalized to each learner’s needs.

As a forward-thinking adaptive learning company, HMH has the resources and insights to power dynamic learning and accelerate progress for every student. With this brand refresh, we set out to demonstrate that we don’t just drive growth, we put growth in motion.

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HMH has a new look and a renewed commitment to accelerating dynamic learning and helping educators create growth for every student. Learn more about our transformation and what it means for your school or district.

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