Behind the making of a brand: Love is in the bag
It’s been a while since we’ve shared some of our branding and design projects, plus I wanted to introduce you to a great organization called Love Is In The Bag.
Love Is In The Bag is a non-profit organization located in Phoenix, Arizona. They provide love bags filled with things for kids to do (paint, craft kits, games), bath essentials (shampoos, body wash, toothpaste), snacks and so much more. These bags ‘full of love’ are given to children fighting cancer in hospitals, and children in foster care and homeless shelters.
Developing a brand starts with research
Before starting any branding or design project, there are a few things we need to know, and the best way to get started is with a branding questionnaire.
The questionnaire contains key insights that push the direction of the designs exploration. This information is key and helps the client and us connect the dots and develop concepts.
During this process, we unearth the WHYs; why the company exists or is starting, what makes it special, any hidden meanings, history or background, and define the WHO; who is the ideal target customer.
Side note: We also did a consultation with the client; providing them with direction on new product designs, styling and photography direction – in order to capture the vibe and direction for the new site design we would be creating.
Without further ado…
The Before and After: Logo
Love Is In The Bag came to us with a recently updated logo design – which was definitely a step up from the previous logo (the one on top) – but the style, font and color were hard to read at a small size due to the thin font and center line coloring.
THE BEFORE(S)
We wanted to design a clean, youthful, easy-to-read logo that would stand the test of time! And we also wanted to create a logo mark or icon (a graphic element that communicated what they do and what they’re about) that exuded the same characteristics.
During the consultation session, the client talked about her dream to some day have others with Love Is In The Bag chapters/branches in their hometowns! I took note of this dream and with future growth (and chapters) in mind, we added a location line to the logo — allowing brand awareness consistency, with chapter identities.
Here’s the fresh, easy-to-read typography and simple “bag” icon we designed for Love Is In The Bag!
THE AFTER
This logo and icon design is a timeless classic that will never get old… which is what you want for a blog or company logo!
The Before and After: Website Design
Love Is In The Bag relies heavily on donations, as well as profits from the selling of personal goods; things like t-shirts and tote bags.
I don’t want to ‘bag’ on the previous design, so I’ll just let the visual tell the story – or lack of story:
THE BEFORE
We understand that a visually appealing site that is clean and easy to navigate is ALWAYS going to be a winner.
In keeping with a simple, clean, fresh vibe, this is the site design and branding we created for Love Is In The Bag:
THE AFTER
Notice the storytelling and quality of the photos, how the cause is front and center, the flow and consistency, PLUS making sure people knew ‘how they could help’ before they even start scrolling… An amazing transformation, right?!
Which site design moves you to take action? Because at the end of the day, THAT is what it’s all about!!!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this branding, logo and website journey with before and afters! And now hopefully you can better understand our process and development behind the making of a brand: Love is in the bag!
Do you need branding, logo or website design? You’ll find information and pricing in our shop HERE.
