Brand Development Case Study
Abby’s House
visual identity
print collateral
website design
content management system
How do you brand “hope”?
Many non-profits serve those in need but too often focus
their brands on the despair of their beneficiaries’ complicated
situations rather than positive outcomes.
Is there a balance?
THE CHALLENGE: Brand an organization whose mission is to
provide a clear path through dark times faced by women and
their children. The brand must appeal to potential donors,
both individual and institutional – but most importantly – it
must communicate an uplifting tone of hope that signals
the success achievable through the organization’s programs
and services.
step 1: define your value proposition
“One light for your safe entry; another for your successful return to independence.”
I felt this excerpt from a poem (brought to one of the initial meetings) helped to define the value proposition
that Abby’s House needed to communicate. What they provided was not a single commodity like “food” or
“clothing,”, rather, it was a transformative process and a feeling of community and hope. The new message had
to be more “round trip” rather than simply offering a night’s salvation from the cold.
When I began to investigate what vestiges of a brand were in use, I discovered that Abby’s house used
“A Bright Spot in the City” as a slogan. The mission had evolved and the connotation of Abby’s House as a
housing solution consisting of one property was outdated — multiple properties existed. Furthermore, the
complex mission of the organization provided different values to the community than to the individuals.
However, the overall outcomes hinged around three central issues that intersected in important ways. Upon
discussion with the organization’s stakeholders, we determined that the new brand should clearly incorporate a
statement of the key elements of what Abby’s House provided to all its constituents.
Shelter, Housing and Advocacy.
step 2: look at your brand & audit competing brands
When scrutinizing what
a brand is or will be, I ask
The existing logo was not used consistently across all materials in print, on the web and by other
organizations who sought to run funding initiatives on the organization’s behalf.
each client to examine
their own brand as well
as the brands of other
organizations that
compete for funding or
provide similar programs
and services.
What we found was it just
wasn’t clear who Abby’s
House was or what they
did. We needed have a
versatile identity that
was direct and wouldn’t
be confused with other
state agencies or private
organizations.
(YMCA of Massachusetts)
step 3: identify concepts & develop visual approach
As the project began to
move forward, it was
feared that the existing
stakeholders were
sufficiently entrenched
with the old look-and-feel
(the house) that moving
toward a new concept
might disrupt
the equilibrium.
To facilitate a smooth
conceptual transition,
I presented images of
lanterns that intimated
concepts of light and
cultural universality rather
than an architectural
fixture. Themes of
welcoming, journey and
hope shine through.
step 4: apply concepts to a visual design approach
Initial attempts at
finding the voice of the
organization ranged from
literal to abstract — but all related to light and
lanterns.
Designs that were
contemporary, extensible,
versatile and relevant
quickly emerged.
The representative
stakeholders were in
favor of eschewing literal
approaches in favor of
those that described the
light/hope concept.
A
H
]
prevailed. Color preferences
step 5: conceptual refinement
Exploration and
alternatives to the core
elements of the mark
began to take shape.
It was clear that color
and emphasis would
need to come into balance
before a final solution
was reached.
Milk Row Studio examined
100s of typographic
options and presented a
range of options. The type
choices that were favored
aptly lent weight and
credibility to the words
while providing support to
the light.
step 6: more conceptual refinement
The committee of
reviewers continued to
narrow its gaze to the
finer points of the logo
such as subtle color
variations, transparency
and typographic
positioning and emphasis.
What began to emerge
was not only a sense of
light but a metaphor for
the housing by virtue of
an almost architectural
stacking of the word-mark.
The core color schema is
solidifying here.
step 7: verifying choices and further refinement
At this stage the group is
re-examining the design
iterations with near final
elements. The typeface
selected was Sky Serif. The
shade of subtly violet-blue
was chosen and the lefthand position of the star
agreed upon. Final type
positions were once again
considered. A preference
for the color of the stars
coalesced at this stage.
step 8: final approval of the visual identity
The review committee
agreed on this final
identity and color palette.
The elements here will
become the basis for
the entire visual identity
that will come to visually
define the Abby’s House
Brand.
The final solution used
subtle type size variation
to put additional emphasis
on “Abby’s” to further
suggest that housing
wasn’t the sole focus of the
organization.
What visuals should support the brand?
The existing website
(but not other materials)
used stock photography
that wasn’t on target for
messaging. A broad search
for affordable, appropriate
imagery yielded few
serviceable solutions.
While some fit, the
organization was reluctant
to let 1 or 2 images assume
the identity. Photography
of the actual women at
Abby’s House was not a
comfortable alternative.
Ultimately it was decided
to not use photography of
“women and children” for
the initial launch.
Photos should convey hope despite
concern and success despite past struggles.
What visuals should support the brand?
Instead of photography,
the brand visuals would
rely on treatments of
the core identity to help
convey various concepts
and support graphic
treatments across print
collateral and the website.
The beauty of the shape
was that it lent itself to
many interpretations
through combination
and limitless variations.
52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609 • 508.756.5486 • Fax: 508.798.3299 • www.abbyshouse.org
Dear Sir or Madam,
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Sincerely,
Firstname Lastname,
Title Longishness
[email protected]
52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609 • www.abbyshouse.org
Sarah Lange
Director of Fund Development
& External Relations
[email protected]
508.756.5486 x18
52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609
Fax: 508-798-3299 • www.abbyshouse.org
H_bcards.indd 22
At Abby’s House, we provide…
to homeless women & children
in Central Massachusetts.
11/19/10 3:03 PM
Thank you.
who walk through our doors. Thank you.
require its guests to be on welfare. With 78
complex needs of the women and children
family shelter in the area that does not
make it possible to meet the increasingly
shelter in the area for women. It is the only
Generous contributions from our donors
and rebuild. Abby’s House was the first
to meet the needs of women and children.
children with a safe place to stay, regroup,
of affordable housing designed specifically
more than 11,000 homeless women and
units, Abby’s House is the largest provider
Since 1976, Abby’s House has provided
52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609 • 508.756.5486 •
www.abbyshouse.org
Thank you.
who walk through our doors. Thank you.
require its guests to be on welfare. With 78
complex needs of the women and children
family shelter in the area that does not
make it possible to meet the increasingly
shelter in the area for women. It is the only
Generous contributions from our donors
and rebuild. Abby’s House was the first
to meet the needs of women and children.
children with a safe place to stay, regroup,
of affordable housing designed specifically
more than 11,000 homeless women and
units, Abby’s House is the largest provider
Since 1976, Abby’s House has provided
52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609 • 508.756.5486 •
www.abbyshouse.org
Thank you.
who walk through our doors. Thank you.
require its guests to be on welfare. With 78
complex needs of the women and children
family shelter in the area that does not
make it possible to meet the increasingly
shelter in the area for women. It is the only
Generous contributions from our donors
and rebuild. Abby’s House was the first
to meet the needs of women and children.
children with a safe place to stay, regroup,
of affordable housing designed specifically
more than 11,000 homeless women and
units, Abby’s House is the largest provider
Since 1976, Abby’s House has provided
52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609 • 508.756.5486 •
www.abbyshouse.org
Thank you.
who walk through our doors. Thank you.
require its guests to be on welfare. With 78
complex needs of the women and children
family shelter in the area that does not
make it possible to meet the increasingly
shelter in the area for women. It is the only
Generous contributions from our donors
and rebuild. Abby’s House was the first
to meet the needs of women and children.
children with a safe place to stay, regroup,
of affordable housing designed specifically
more than 11,000 homeless women and
units, Abby’s House is the largest provider
Since 1976, Abby’s House has provided
52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609 • 508.756.5486 •
www.abbyshouse.org
Thank you.
who walk through our doors. Thank you.
require its guests to be on welfare. With 78
complex needs of the women and children
family shelter in the area that does not
make it possible to meet the increasingly
shelter in the area for women. It is the only
Generous contributions from our donors
and rebuild. Abby’s House was the first
to meet the needs of women and children.
children with a safe place to stay, regroup,
of affordable housing designed specifically
more than 11,000 homeless women and
units, Abby’s House is the largest provider
Since 1976, Abby’s House has provided
52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609 • 508.756.5486 •
www.abbyshouse.org
Thank you.
Since 1976, Abby’s House has provided
more than 11,000 homeless women and
children with a safe place to stay, regroup,
and rebuild. Abby’s House was the first
shelter in the area for women. It is the only
family shelter in the area that does not
require its guests to be on welfare. With 78
units, Abby’s House is the largest provider
of affordable housing designed specifically
to meet the needs of women and children.
Generous contributions from our donors
make it possible to meet the increasingly
complex needs of the women and children
who walk through our doors. Thank you.
52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609 • 508.756.5486 •
www.abbyshouse.org
Thank you.
Since 1976, Abby’s House has provided
units, Abby’s House is the largest provider
more than 11,000 homeless women and
of affordable housing designed specifically
children with a safe place to stay, regroup,
to meet the needs of women and children.
and rebuild. Abby’s House was the first
Generous contributions from our donors
shelter in the area for women. It is the only
make it possible to meet the increasingly
family shelter in the area that does not
complex needs of the women and children
require its guests to be on welfare. With 78
who walk through our doors. Thank you.
52 High Street, Worcester, MA 01609 • 508.756.5486 •
www.abbyshouse.org
We’d like to thank you for your contribution of
$
to Abby’s House.
made in loving memory of
Your generous contribution will help us provide shelter, housing and advocacy
to homeless and abused women and children.
sincerely,
your gift is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
Since 1976, Abby’s House has provided
units, Abby’s House is the largest provider
more than 11,000 homeless women and
of affordable housing designed specifically
children with a safe place to stay, regroup,
to meet the needs of women and children.
and rebuild. Abby’s House was one of the
Generous contributions from our donors
first shelters in the U.S. for women. It is the
make it possible to meet the increasingly
only family shelter in the area that does not
complex needs of the women and children
require its guests to be on welfare. With 78
who walk through our doors. Thank you.