This October, adHOME was honoured to be part of the new brand launch for the former Western Area Youth Services (WAYS) not-for-profit organization. Creating a new name was a critical part of the branding process to appropriately communicate the services provided and to help the agency compete for funding and donations in a fiercely competitive arena where funds are in great demand. WAYS Mental Health Support emerged to support children, youth and families who face challenges such as trauma, emotional or behavioural problems, mental health issues, conflict with the law, and relationship difficulties. WAYS delivers both residential and community-based services through the efforts of 180 dedicated and professional employees and over 30 foster families.
adHOME also created the new WAYS logo that makes use of sharp angles, clean lines and fresh colours with a modern and edgy feel. The icon is a stylized W, formed by two abstract shapes. The image can be interpreted as one individual (perhaps a WAYS staff person) placing a reassuring arm around the shoulder of another (perhaps a WAYS client). The overlap created by the yellow and blue colours produces the green shade, signifying something new that is created when two work together. The green colour is also tied to the mental health industry.
The typography used with the icon is structured and confident providing a sense of stability and strength to potential donors. The descriptor is softened with the use of lower case, and the tagline, set in a hand-lettered typeface, gives the organization a friendly and approachable feel to clients. A new tagline was developed – “rebuilding with you” – to highlight their collaborative and empowering approach to client relationships. It speaks to the fact that the people who need help from WAYS are never alone; there is always someone to help them rebuild their lives and grow within the community.
After we established the brand identity, the rest of the collateral fell into place. We created a unique brochure that serves a dual purpose. One side explains WAYS’ programming and vision, while the other side is a poster that will be used in community centres and agencies throughout Southwestern Ontario to inspire at-risk youth to reach out to WAYS.
We also created a new, responsive website focusing around WAYS’ successes and featuring stories of past and present clients. The website, stationery, brochure and Facebook ads as well as Google display campaign, integrate the new colours, imagery and typography to maintain a cohesive brand look.
Our journey through this process has been a genuine learning experience. As always, it challenged us to flex our creative muscle, but more importantly, we spent time meeting WAYS staff and clients and listening to their stories. It opened our hearts to the genuine need for these very essential services right here in London and what we can all do to help make even a small difference.