logo design | web design | branding | marketing
CHALLENGE Establish branding for a non-profit through a redesigned logo, updated website, and social media presence in time for their grand opening.
NARRATIVE This local non-profit actively collects and preserves the rich African American History of Alamance County. The missions and values of the cultural site and museum are reflected in the colors and design of the content produced for the web and social media. As a relatively new organization, there was lots of opportunity for growth and refinement in the existing logo and website. Along with redesigning the logo, I updated the website design and improved the information architecture. I also created visually appealing exhibit text for the opening of the new location.
BRANDING The Center needed consistent branding to use across social media, their physical location, and other communication materials. Although they had a logo, it had some design issues, and they needed variations for different backgrounds and different sizes. After discussing the meaning of the original logo and why the colors and design were chosen, I got to work. I updated the logo for consistent use, and created a set of alternate logos and brand marks with color variation. Keeping the clients wants in mind, I chose colors and fonts for use across all Center materials to strengthen brand identity.
WEB DESIGN The Center wanted a new website that was more visually appealing and easier to navigate. They used a website builder, so I was limited in the extent of my redesign. My first step was simplifying the website by removing multicolored backgrounds and extra elements. After simplifying the site, I add a few design touches that followed the established brand guidelines. Beyond design changes, I wanted to improve information architecture of the site with user experience and SEO in mind. As a non-profit that relies on donations, visibility on search engines can lead to more support, so good SEO practices are critical. I reorganized the site, reduced the number of pages from seven pages to six, and rewrote the body copy of the website with help from the Center's executive director. After this, I further improved the visual appearance of the site, and added my final touches.
EXHIBITS The branding and website redesign coincided with a grand opening of the Center's first physical location. Exhibits on African American history in Alamance County were curated by the board, and needed accompanying text to contextualize and explain artifacts. After copyediting desciptions written by the executive director, I created a standard layout for exhibit text. I wanted all the exhibits to be visually appealing and informative, since they would be seen by people with different levels of knowledge during the grand opening. These pages were printed and are currently mounted next to exhibits in the Center.
SEE MORE aacahcenter.org