The Mission Continues: brand refresh

The challenge

The Mission Continues faced a growing disconnect between its brand identity and its target audiences. The existing visual language was not resonating with the new generation of post-9/11 veterans, who are a different demographic with distinct needs from the older, pre-9/11 veteran community.

The brand needed to evolve to attract and engage this younger audience while still honoring its established base. The mission was two-fold: create a cohesive brand that felt modern and relevant to a younger demographic, and establish a clear visual distinction between programs and outreach for both veteran communities.

My role and the execution

I served as the creative lead for the internal execution of the brand refresh, bridging the strategic vision of the external agency, Go Do Good, and the organization’s tactical needs. My focus was bringing the new brand guidelines to life across all collateral.

• Translating the brand guidelines. I turned the new logo, color palette and typography into a complete library of design templates, including a system that visually differentiated outreach to post-9/11 veterans from outreach to the older audience.
• Cross-functional collaboration. I worked closely with the marketing, fundraising and programs teams so the designs met their needs, and trained internal stakeholders to use the new assets and templates to target specific audiences.
• Hands-on production. I personally designed and developed a wide range of collateral, from print materials to digital assets, keeping every piece on brand and tailored to its audience.

The solution and deliverables

• Print collateral: redesigned brochures, fact sheets, event invitations and fundraising packets.
• Digital assets: social media templates for Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, email marketing templates, and a refreshed website UI design.
• Brand system: a library of flexible, scalable templates that let the team create new content efficiently while staying consistent.
• Internal resources: a brand style guide and asset library serving as the central source of truth.

The outcome

The refresh launched a unified visual identity across all of the organization’s platforms. The new system allowed the organization to better segment its communications, engaging the younger post-9/11 veteran audience while keeping a strong connection with its established base, and gave its teams the tools to communicate their mission with greater strategic intent.

See more

• Annual report (PDF)
• MLK Campaign report
• Full project on Adobe Portfolio