Artolution Brand Strategy and Identity Development

Role: Brand Strategist

Artolution, a non-profit organization providing collaborative art experiences in vulnerable communities, faced several key challenges:

  • Lack of formal brand identity, including vision, mission, and personality along with diverse regional programs creating inconsistent visual representation

  • Stakeholder uncertainty about strategic direction

  • Need for the organization's first annual report

Action

My role was to implement a comprehensive approach:

    • Facilitated brand workshops with board chair and the co-founders Max Frieder and Joel Bergner

    • Collaborated with an in-house artist/graphic designer to create brand essence and guidelines

    • Worked with the operations director to collect impact statistics

    • Organized a database of quotes and images aligned with the brand narrative

    • Developed guidelines to unify diverse regional artworks under one brand

    • Trained local artists in photo optimization and documentation processes

    • Prepared the organization's first annual report

    • Created pitch decks for future projects

Results

    • Produced a comprehensive brand essence and guidelines book

    • Established a clear organizational identity and goals

    • Published and distributed the first annual report

    • Developed decks for future project proposals including those that pivoted the organization to virtual programming during the global pandemic

    • Improved quality and consistency of project documentation

    • Optimized social media presence with high-quality, on-brand visuals

    • Provided clear strategic direction for stakeholders mainly board members and high-net worth donors

    • Created tools for consistent communication of organizational impact

    • Partnered with Pentagram to develop data visualizations to visualize impact of the organization

    • Leveraged new brand materials for fundraising campaigns such as a #PowerofArt end-of-year campaign that resulted in $130K in funds secured