Case Study
CivicMakers
CivicMakers started in 2015 as a meetup among civic-minded technologists. In 2017, it grew into a full-fledged consulting team focused on designing human-centered solutions in partnership with public institutions. By 2020, they had grown up and needed to fully revamp their brand strategy and identity to showcase who they are.
CivicMakers’ new brand strategy was anchored in their identity as a team of big-hearted, pragmatic optimists.
Dearborn Strategies helped translate CivicMakers’ story into a comprehensive brand strategy that would help set them apart in an increasingly competitive field.
OUR ROLE
Services
& Outcomes
Brand Research
We dove deep to understand the core DNA of CivicMakers through a thorough document review, stakeholder interviews, and a staff discovery workshop. We kept hearing echoes of the same sentiment: “They are exceptional human beings.” “They make me feel hopeful.” “They’re in this for the right reasons.” We also understood the real value of CivicMakers’ approach to co-creation and collaboration.
Brand Strategy and Messaging
We defined a core essence for CivicMakers that leaned into their generative optimism. We knew that their belief that government can be better and do better was important. But optimism without action doesn’t help us get where we need to go.
We identified brand pillars that helped to further differentiate CivicMakers in a growing field, from their deep commitment to community-building (all the way back to their meetup roots!) to their approach to capacity building. We expanded their strategy to a full suite of brand messaging and led a series of staff elevator pitch trainings.
Brand Identity
Inspired by CivicMakers’ new brand strategy, we refreshed their overall look and feel, introducing a dynamic and modular design system that brings to life their pragmatic and generative approach to design. Their new logo evokes the container they create for good work, the ideas that are generated and the collaboration that brings great results.
Website Strategy
Using the brand strategy and audience research as a guide, we built out a new architecture for the CivicMakers website. Through the content strategy process, we also explored how to communicate CivicMakers’ process and approach through new graphics, and build out a robust information architecture to house CivicMakers’ resources and case studies.
Dearborn Strategies helped CivicMakers bring their brand to life.
“Working with Rachel gave us deeper insight into who we are as a firm, and what sort of message we want to convey to potential clients, partners and team members. Rachel's deep commitment to working with mission-driven organizations not only aligned with our values, it helped us understand ourselves better. With probing questions and compassionate curiosity, Rachel shaped our communications and brand strategy in meaningful ways we couldn't have imagined.”
— Judi Brown, Co-Founder and Managing Partner
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