Last winter, Building Bridges came to Fjord and asked for help in developing a new brand position and identity for their non-profit. They wanted this new identity to both embodie their mission and entice donars to continue supporting the programs and services that support the families of the 7th and 8th ward of Anacostia.
The Problem:Building Bridges Across the River’s brand was outdated and didn’t reflect both the quality of its programs and the professionalism of its volunteers.
The Opportunity: The 7th and 8th ward of Washington is one of a kind in their people, their history, and their ability to endure growing gentrification.
The Solution:To create a brand message and logo inspired from the most powerful quality of Anacostia; the strength of its community.
For over six months our team held workshops, interviewed staff and volunteers and visited the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum to gain a better understanding of the deep-rooted issues impacting Anacostia.
TThrough our research we learned about the cultural significance of Building Bridges and it's strong connections to the close-knit community that surrounds it.
Through our research we learned that there is a resilience and pride that comes from living in Anacostia and these traits are also the bedrock of what Building Bridges is doing; bringing a community together to make meaningful change.
With this information we built a brand positioning that emphasis what can happen when you bring a community together.
We wanted to create a identity for the Building Bridges organization that was visual powerful but, when featured next to their child organizations, didn't steal their thunder.
We decided to focus on a text heavy logo supported with a simple icon of a bridge being built. We tied it all together by bringing in the primary colors of their child organizations into the new brand identity.
We wanted the Building Brdiges site to act as the organization does; a hub for community organizations and those that benefit from them.
The site is designed to be the main hub for articles and updates on their individual programs. It'll feature information on Building Bridges as well as program specific articles and updates. It'll also include a calendar that will act as a digital bulletin board; constantly updaitng with new events and activities.
With these updates we hope to make the site a valuable took for both Building Bridges and the larger community.
