For more than 150 years, Epworth has been a safe, caring place for children and families in crisis. Looking ahead to the future, they realized the need to think digitally first about their branding design and communications to continue to meet people where they are and serve them well.
Objective
Epworth has a deep history of serving vulnerable youth and families. Throughout it's 150-year history, the organization has evolved and adapted based on the ever-changing needs of the population they serve. After a series of organizational transitions, Epworth was ready to explore a brand design to clarify the organization’s purpose and highlight the powerful life-changing moments they create. After interviewing members of the Board, staff and other key stakeholders, we knew there were few organizations that provide such a broad array of programs and services. While this spectrum allows Epworth to meet the unique needs of each individual, it also made it difficult to clearly and consistently communicate overall impact.
Strategy
We knew that a successful rebrand would have at its core the empowerment that Epworth brings to every child and family they serve. Our focus on creating a digital brand design meant that this work would be an important step toward their digital transformation as an organization. With the rebrand happening during the coronavirus pandemic, everyone became even more focused on the power of digital communication and storytellig.
Seize the Moment
Epworth believes that every moment — no matter how small it may seem — matters greatly to a person’s journey. The rebrand relies on the logo design as a device to symbolize this belief. The two arrows are emblematic of the Epworth’s relationships and engagements. Likewise the open space between them is the moment of empowerment, the magic that happens when people come together to help, support and care for one another.
Telling the whole story
Because Epworth primarily serves young, at-risk people, we knew that storytelling had to look a little different for this rebrand in order to protect their identities. As a result, we looked for opportunities to share Epworth’s beliefs and the realities of the work that happen each day. The branding design honestly presents the barriers and circumstances youth experience. It also relies on multiple perspectives, from case workers to parents, and donors to partner organizations, to show the different ways that the Epworth community Empowers Every Day.
Approachable and Accessible
To create branding design that speaks to donors and reflects the children and families Epworth serves, we began with a bright, youthful color palette grounded against more sophisticated navy. The color gradients in the logo design and materials symbolize the spectrum of Epworth’s services and how they align with a person’s progression towards self-sufficiency. Throughout the process, we constantly evaluated our choices against a digital backdrop: how do these colors, fonts, and images come alive on screens of all sizes?
