CASE STUDY

THE GIFT OF WORK

The Gift of Work enhances personal purpose and company impact by connecting small businesses with rehab and recovery graduates for work and skills training.

CHALLENGE

Create brand assets for a start-up Christian organization for the purpose of donor and business development. Like with most non-profits, there are two separate audiences: clients and donors.

APPROACH

I began with a brand audit to determine this client’s purpose, vision and mission. What’s the basis for founding the organization? What’s the need and how are they fulfilling it? I then developed a brand strategy as the basis for designing the brand identity and assets.

The client had been working with another designer and came to the conclusion that it wasn’t a good fit. They approached me on the recommendation of one of my prior clients. During the logo development process, it was easy to get really literal, which is part of what the previous designer had done. But a logo identifies. It doesn’t describe.

UNIQUE INSIGHTS

Etymology is one of my interests, and so I dove into definitions and descriptions of work. This was important because in doing this I was no longer assuming what the word meant.

This research sparked a new idea in my thinking, and I recalled a doodle I made several years earlier in one of my sketchbooks. I paged through several sketchbooks before I found the sketch… of a hand… of a bird… one and the same. That doodle is the basis for the logo design.

I created the identity as outward evidence of work. Of course work involves brain power as well as muscle power, but ideas need to be manifest. So the use of the hand as a signifier of work was appropriate, and the dove, of course, positions the organization as a faith-based charity.

I developed a number of touch points which the founders used for donor outreach and campaigns, and promotion to rehab and recovery groups.

PROJECT SCOPE

OUTCOME

Visual communications solutions to build awareness and connect businesses with community service to integrate and inspire those most vulnerable and in need.