AMERICORPS
The best of America
BRAND IDENTITY / ART DIRECTION
Challenge
AmeriCorps lacked a consistent, unifying story and the organization's brand architecture was overly complex, causing brand awareness and public perception to suffer. They simply weren't getting the recognition their work deserved and government funding was on the line.
Solution
A new unified brand strategy, narrative, brand architecture, logo, visual identity system, website and launch campaign that leans into the idea that national service can bring out the best of people in our country.
AmeriCorps is a US government agency, founded in 1993. It is the largest supporter of service and volunteerism in the US – enrolling over 270K volunteers and dispersing $800M in annual funding for non-profits like Teach for America, and Habitat for Humanity.
However, AmeriCorps desperately needed a brand refresh that would better communicate its unifying mission, and how the various parts of its organization help bring people together. We put purpose at the heart of the new brand story: To bring out the best of America.
'The best of America,' communicates that service to others is a cornerstone of US culture and an indispensable part of the American experience.
The newly-crafted strategic positioning framework became the north star for bringing the creative idea to life. Through the design discovery process it became clear to my team and I that the solution needed to respect the brand’s history and its alumnis’ deep emotional connection to the legacy brand.
Given the backdrop of national division and the global pandemic, this rebrand was an opportunity to underscore how national service can foster unity.
Our solution involved designing a new monogram logomark that pays homage to the legacy ‘A’ while incorporating a flag to symbolize patriotism. This design was carefully crafted to reflect AmeriCorps’ strategic pillars of unity, strength, and leadership.
Email signatures to signature swag
The new visual identity was applied across various touchpoints, including marketing collateral, business templates, social media, digital displays, and a revamped website. An inspiring brand anthem film brought the new positioning to life, resonating with both internal and external audiences.
I presented the unveiling of the new brand to thousands of volunteers, partners, and sponsors, ensuring alignment and consistency across the organization. The new brand story was documented in comprehensive guidelines, simplifying and unifying the brand’s message.
The attention given to internal stakeholders was critical to onboarding the organization, aligning leadership and managing the ruthless consistency of the new brand.
A best in class online experience
The website underwent a complete redesign, transforming an outdated information architecture into a contemporary user experience that reflects the new brand identity.
Key Results
+87%
Overall site traffic (YOY)
+33%
Additional funding
Gold
Transform Award winner
MICHAEL MACKAY
mmackay86@gmail.com
425 West 50th street
New York, NY10019