More than a shelter.
MARIN HUMANE
Founded in 1907, Marin Humane have been pioneers from the get go. They began by fighting for the protection and welfare of farm animals and today they run groundbreaking programs like rehabilitating inmates at San Quentin and building confidence in kids with autism. The problem was that the outside world had very little awareness about the unmatched breadth of their work and their far reaching impact, often sharing their expertise across the US and overseas.
A tagline not just for animal people, but a tagline for people people too.
The challenge was to change the misconception that they’re just a place you go to adopt a dog or a cat. In reality, they’re not just animal people, they’re people people too, because their programs bring animals and humans together, forging bonds that impact not just homes, but make neighborhoods and communities happier and healthier. Their brand DNA is ultimately about transforming lives which led to the creation of their tagline, ‘Lives made happy™.’ It inspired us to create the smile icon in their identity, a simple and recognizable symbol used across all of their communications.
An identity that goes above and beyond illustrations of pets and paws.
Traditionally, the identities of these organizations heavily feature illustrations of dogs, cats, hearts and hands which was a direction we wanted to avoid. Their new identity helps them stand out, but more importantly, supports their new positioning of being inclusive of people as well as other species of animals beyond cats and dogs. Lives made happy™ conjured up images of smiles and led us to creating an icon that could not only be integrated as the ‘u’ in the word humane but be used as a standalone. Designing a universal icon has given them a really flexible element, direct from the identity, that can easily be used across all of their communications from social media to advertising to campus signage and everything in-between.
We worked hard to make sure everyone, from the board of directors, to staff, to volunteers, and important stakeholders, were part of the process, taking time to understand their thinking and how they communicate in the real world. We ran elevator pitch and writing workshops so everyone was armed with the practical tools they needed out the gate. As Marin Humane’s greatest brand ambassadors, it was important they felt the brand was as authentic and inspiring as the amazing work they do.
What we delivered.
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Brand Strategy
Research & analysisCore essence
Purpose
Personality
Tone of voice
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Brand Voice
Positioning statementElevator pitch
Brand promise
Tagline
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Brand Identity
Logo & iconFamily of fonts
Color palette
Copy Style
Brand book
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Brand Experience
Brand launch campaignTraining & workshops
Newsletter
Promotional material
Environmental graphics
Vehicle branding & production
“We found their insight, guidance, expertise, patience and persistence invaluable. Their approach was just what we needed! They truly partnered with us, taking the leadership team and board through the process, ensuring we had commitment at the key stages of the project. They made sure that our new brand authentically reflects who we are and got us ready for the next stage of our growth.”
— Nancy McKenney, CEO
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