When IGNITE National needed to reimagine its brand identity to match its empowering mission, it partnered with me to craft a bold new vision that authentically resonates with the next generation of young women leaders.
Visual Branding, Digital Reports, Social Media Visuals, Presentation Decks
The Situation
Since its founding in 2010, IGNITE has grown from a local Oakland pilot into a nationwide force igniting political ambition in young women and girls. It has equipped over 30,000 aspiring changemakers with the skills to step into public service leadership roles.
However, IGNITE's original branding no longer reflected the organization's national scale, intersectional community, and vision for an inclusive future. They invested in updated messaging, but their visual identity was disconnected from this new brand voice and positioning. To truly engage the diverse identities of Gen Z women, IGNITE needed a vibrant brand refresh that directly spoke to their concerns.
The Challenge
Redefining IGNITE's brand identity required striking a delicate balance—a look that felt creative and relevant to their core audience of young women while also projecting authority and credibility befitting a national leadership development organization.
The new brand expression had to shape-shift across contexts, from the energy of social media posts to the formality of fundraising presentations. A flexible, unified system was critical to providing a consistent, cohesive experience no matter where young women interfaced with IGNITE's mission.
Equally important was expanding beyond an over-reliance on pink to a nuanced palette that uplifted the intersectional spectrum of IGNITE's gender-expansive community. The digital experience also required a refresh. They needed to transition from jargon-filled density to compelling content that fostered a personal connection with IGNITE's core audience.
The Approach
Through immersive workshops with IGNITE's team, I facilitated a visual exploration of their new brand. The guiding questions were: What kinds of styles, aesthetics, and design voices will make Gen Z women feel this brand is for and about them? How can we craft a bold, unapologetic identity that emboldens their ambition while creating a sense of community and belonging?
Social media plays a significant role in IGNITE connecting with and activating this demographic. So, once we landed on an overarching creative direction through the mood boards, we pressure-tested it by developing some sample social media posts and ad visuals.
Once the social look and feel was solidified, I implemented it into the website. IGNITE opted for a template-based refresh through their partner BFC Digital to work within budget constraints. This cost-effective approach allowed us to elevate the website design while minimizing time and budget.
To share IGNITE's powerful impact stories more immersively for donors and supporters, we also created a robust interactive annual report experience. The dynamic visuals and intuitive navigation brought their data alive while optimizing for cross-device digital publishing. Fundraising remains critical fuel to expand IGNITE's programs. So, I worked with their development team to craft a fresh, impactful slide deck template that moves potential funders to action.
Ultimately, empowering IGNITE's lean team to operate self-sufficiently was key. I developed a comprehensive kit of click-and-go design templates in Canva, enabling staff to generate quality content across social, print, and merch efficiently while maintaining brand integrity in every touchpoint.
The Impact
IGNITE is thrilled with its updated brand identity and materials. The new visuals speak to Gen Z women they want to engage and inspire to become future political leaders.
With a cohesive look across their website, social media presence, and print materials, their messaging feels impactful and resonant. The bold color palette, empowering graphics, and balanced tone hit just the right notes.
Perhaps most importantly, the flexible Canva templates empower the IGNITE team to continue creating on-brand visuals easily on their own. This self-sufficiency helps maximize their lean nonprofit resources over the long-term.
Positive feedback from IGNITE's core audiences validates the brand refresh as a success. The groundwork has been laid for reaching their ambitious goal of training 100,000 young women political leaders and activists in the years ahead.
