Overview

We created a new website for San Diego Cares: It's in our Blood, an annual blood drive event. Our goal was to boost its online presence and community engagement. This involved establishing a brand guide, designing a distinctive logo, and executing a custom design in line with their community-focused ethos. Our strategy emphasized effective communication and user engagement, guided by extensive research. The result is a polished platform that accurately represents the event's mission, attracting participants and supporters while enhancing the user experience. San Diego Cares now has a professional and inviting digital platform, positioning it as a trusted authority in community-driven blood drives.

We started with a session of brand discovery to better understand the essence of Natalie's business and what makes her special. The challenge lay in the diversity of audiences in need of stress and anxiety management help, ranging from young women at the start of their careers to mature men coping with relationship issues. The brand should reflect not only Natalie's calm and gentle approach but also her determination and robust character.

We guided the entire visual identity by the following principles: sophistication, modernity, softness, comfort, and freshness. For the logo, we designed a custom wordmark that emphasizes the journey of Natalie’s customers and the healing process: from vulnerability and fragility to becoming strong and in control of one's feelings. We also wanted to emphasize her name, as Natalie herself is the most significant differentiator when it comes to competitors. Once you meet her, your life begins to change.

We also developed an extensive color palette based on the same design principles, yet flexible enough to suit various communication channels. From Vanilla Mist and First Frost to Baby Beige, the colors create a safe space, build trust, and play a role in relaxing the audience. We added contrast by using images taken either in nature or in environments with indoor plants. This approach allows the comforting color palette to blend with the natural greens or the darker browns of trees. All elements have been compiled in a brand guideline to assist Natalie and her team in maintaining brand consistency while creating content for other channels.