Brand Design for Create Today
I think we can agree—these past two years have shown us the importance of meaningful community. Most of us (even the introverts 🙋🏼♀️) miss being with people, know the benefit of community to our mental health and wellbeing, and have learned to adapt and engage in many different ways, including virtual platforms like Zoom.
Now on top of the pandemic restrictions, imagine being isolated due to a workplace injury, illness, or disability. Dr. Caroline Howe saw first-hand how debilitating the isolation and loneliness were for so many, especially in her home country of Australia, and created the world’s first online, client-directed support program for injured workers called My Social Support Network (MSSN).
Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and it was a joy to infuse these into her branding of the parent company, Create Today, and all branches of her business. Come peek behind the scenes of our first brand reveal of the year!
1 | Brand Strategy
As a Social Support Rehabilitation Counsellor and Adjunct Professor, Caroline's decades of experience in psychosocial safety, workers comp, injury prevention, and other related fields is unquestionable; but it's her compassion and optimism that really draw you in. Together with her co-founder, Paula Billig, she's a strong advocate that the best way to recover from a workplace injury is through community—one where you can come exactly as you are. Many of their clients are isolated and angry, feeling hopeless about their future. MSSN allows them to not feel so alone and begin to get back on their feet.
With this in mind, our Brand Strategy chose the keywords welcoming, confident, and hopeful. They truly believe "your best tomorrow begins today," and helping participants take even the tiniest step toward community is huge in their journey to health and purpose. The color psychology of navy blue is balanced and dependable, red is passionate and courageous, and turquoise is calm and secure. The overall palette is vibrant and safe, helping their audience feel what it's like to be in this caring community.
Moodboard images: abstract painting | wavy lines | all others from Unsplash
2 | Logo Design
The logo has a clean, simple style supported by lowercase, sans serif fonts to keep it more informal. The 3 circles of the icon are symbolic of the emotional, psychological, and physical support within the group, all linked together, with the "C" wrapped around the logo like a warm embrace. It was important to keep it all colorful and fun.
3 | Brand Board
For the different branches of Create Today, I also created sublogos for MSSN (for workers) and HoweSafe (for workplaces). While Create Today uses the full range of the color palette, MSSN uses turquoise and navy and HoweSafe uses orange and red to give them some differentiation. Everything sits in the same family but has its own uniqueness too. The custom, quirky pattern can be used full-color for punch or simplified to one color for just a hint of interest.
4 | Collateral & Social Media
For the new website, I created banner images for consistency across the platforms. They also have a handy template for handouts and info sheets that can be easily adapted with new dates and programs. As always, everything is set up and organized in Canva for easy use with updated tutorial videos here.
5 | Website
A detailed Brand Style Guide and walkthrough videos allowed Caroline's team to create a new website and update the older sites with ease.
Create Today's rebrand is a beautiful example of my Signature Brand Package which allowed Caroline and Paula to start this venture on the right foot. If you or someone you know has a workplace injury, illness, or disability, you can learn more on the MSSN website, or follow Caroline and Paula on LinkedIn. The next 4-week program begins in February. You can join online from anywhere, and program costs are covered by most workers comp or insurance providers!
How does Caroline feel about the final result?
“I was starting from scratch and had absolutely no idea how to create a new brand—none whatsoever! But I knew I could trust Michelle to bring my vision to life.
She listens to your ideas and works alongside you, and everything about her process was so easy. I've received amazing feedback on the final brand; the clients love how happy it makes them feel and I'm proud to show it off!
It was amazing to work with a gentle-yet-strong woman like Michelle. I loved it!”
– Dr. Caroline Howe, Founder
How about you?
If you’re like Caroline with no idea where to start, book a free consultation and let’s chat. I'd love to make branding easy for you too!