Rebranding
The Aleethia Foundation By Rosanna Curiel
This is dedicated to those who served our country 3
Table of Contents
6
Proposal and Process
8
About The Aleethia Foundation
10
Branding
48
Standards Guide
60
Website
64
Advertisement
66
Conclusion
68
About the Artist
5
6
Proposal and Process
For my senior design project I wanted to re-brand The Aleethia Foundation. This is my grandfathers foundation and as a Disabled Veteran myself this foundation means a lot to me. I believe that their brand is not updated and it needs a lot of work. Not only does the logo need improvemen but the website and advertising could use a push to gain a bigger audience. I believe I can create something meaningful and modern to reach a wider market. This book is the process of this project of rebranding the Aleethia Foundation. I will start with talking about the foundation and its goals. I will then move on with its original brand and logo. Next I will be exploring new logos and a new color palette. I will be asking specific questions to the CEO and the Director; such as “What would you like to see in your logo?” and “What do you dislike about your logo.” These questions will help me understand what kind of logo they prefer. I will finally move into designing stationery
and envelopes. The next process is creating items such as tote bags, polo shirts and mugs. For publicity I will be creating a new website layout and for the final step is creating an advertisement campaing for a magazine.
packages which includes business cards, letterhead Proposal and Process | 7
8
About The Aleethia Foundation
Aleethia is proud to play a role in supporting wounded, injured and ill service members and their families through the healing and rehabilitation process at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. They are a small, all volunteer nonprofit dedicated to help those service members recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The Aleethia Foundation provides support through therapeutic recreation, financial grants, family emergency aid, assistive technology, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, home improvements to assist with an injured service member’s mobility, and other basic needs. Since October 2003, over 65,500 meals have been served to service members and their families who have participated in Aleethia’s “Friday Night Dinner” program. We continue with our “Dine Out” program for the wounded, injured, and ill service members who are not only facing difficult medical problems but many are away from their families and friends. A night out from the hospital helps them
and any traveling family members to get away from their health issues for a short time and relax. This all helps in the healing process. Hal Koster is the CEO of Aleethia. He was drafted on November 1, 1966, and went through basic training for six weeks and Army Maintenance school for another six weeks. He was deployed to Vietnam for 27 months. Aleethia is important Mr. Koster because It gives him a feeling of being useful to the service members who are injured, ill, and wounded that provide a helping hand for a short period of time.
About The Aleethia Foundation | 9
10
Branding
Brnading | 11
Interview Questions For the beginning of this project I asked the CEO, founder, and president of Aleethia, Hal Koster, a few questions to assist me along the branding process. Why did you pick the colors used in the logo? “The colors of red-white-blue are the colors of the USA flag and patriotism.”
12 | Branding
What do you like and don’t like about your logo? “I am quite happy with the logo. Exaggerated logos are for people with exaggerated egos. We are not trying to be more than we are and we do not want to be more than we are. We let our work be our reference. We never had aspirations of a large organization. If we had, we would have had paid employees. To me that is not a nonprofit, but a for profit company masquerading as a nonprofit.” What kind of element or mark would you like to see in your brand? “We are quite content with our brand. We are proud of what we have accomplished. Unlike other
few of the same questions to get a second opinion. What do you like and don’t like about your logo? “The original logo is 20 years old and it needs to be updated. I don’t like the A for the original logo, its overdone and I prefer simple.” What kind of element or mark would you like to see in your brand. “I want to keep the star and have it somehow incorporated with the logo.” What do you think of the color palette? “I want the colors to be bolder and more dramatic.”
nonprofits that are out there raising money to pay staff and begging service members to take there trips, etc so they can get donations.” For the second part of the interview Questions I asked Gail Koster-Curiel the Director of Aleethia a
Branding | 13
Logo Sketches For the first round of sketches numbered 1-23 the idea was freedom and patriotism. When I think of freedom, I think of the United States of America flag, I believe that Aleethea gives that feeling to be free and gives out the Americana look. I was also thinking of spreading the colors of the American flag around it and have a new twist that would be elegant and professional.
14 | Branding
The next round of sketches numbered 24-41 still maintain the ideas of what is freedom and the American flag colors spread out around it. I also played with the silhouette of a soldier and a helicopter to represent Hal Koster. Towards the end I played around with organic shapes to give Aleethia a new modern look.
Branding | 15
Exploration of Type Before digitalizing the sketches I have to think about typography. When it comes to typefaces there are many different styles to choose from. Some can be difficult to read. I choose to explore four san serifs fonts, three serif/slab fonts and one calligraphic font. I explored the typefaces with the name of the foundation along with a few different marks that would be chosen. The idea is to combine a couple of these typeface together to see which combination looks the best. I might add other typefaces throughout the digitalized process. When speaking with the president, Gail Koster-Curiel she stated that she liked 8 zapfino and 5 palatino row. Zapfino drew her eyes into it more than the others. 5 palatino looks more interesting than most fonts.
16 | Branding
1.
The Aleethia Foundation
Montserrat Medium
2.
The Aleethia Foundation
Futura Medium
3.
The Aleethia Foundation
Helvetica Medium
4.
The Aleethia Foundation
Gotham Bold
5.
The Aleethia Foundation
Palantino Regular
6.
The Aleethia Foundation
Athelas Regular
7.
The Aleethia Foundation
Noto Serif
8.
The Aleethia Foundation
Z ap fino
Branding | 17
The president stated that she likes Zapfino and Palatino typefaces the most. She expressed that she likes a combination of row 1 C and row 7 A.
18 | Branding
A
1
�leethi� The
Foundation
2
Aleethia
The
Foundation
3
Aleethia
The
B
�leethi� The
Foundation
Aleethia
The
Aleethia
The
The
Aleethia Foundation
5
The
Aleethia
The
6
Aleethia
The
7 8
The
Aleethia
Foundation
The
Aleethia
Foundation
Aleethia Foundation
Foundation
The
Aleethia Foundation
Foundation
The
Aleethia
Foundation
The
Aleethia
Foundation
Foundation
Foundation
E
�leethi� The
Aleethia
The
Fou nd at ion
Aleethia
The
Foundat ion
Aleethia
The
Foundat ion
Foundation
Aleethia
�leethi�
The
Foundation
The
D
�leethi�
Fou ndat ion
Foundation
4
C
The
Aleethia Foundation
The
Aleethia
Aleethia
The
Foundation
Foundation
The
Aleethia
The
The
Aleethia
Foundation
Aleethia
Foundation
Foundation
The
Aleethia
Foundation
Branding | 19
Color Palette Exploration For the color palette I started with the original but I am explored different shades of red and blues. The color palette used for the logo represents the American Flag. The president of the company stated that she wants new shades of color that are a little more vibrant. I showed her a few different shades and from those she chose; Pantone P49-8U and Pantone P103-16U
20 | Branding
Branding | 21
Digitalized Chosen Logos I sat down with the president of Aleethia and talked about my sketches and reasonings behind them. We established that number 4 is an interesting idea with the American flag coming out of the letter L. Number 11 was also a choice with different height. Finally number 34 was another selection due to the CEO’s military background.
22 | Branding
Branding | 23
I sat down with a professional graphic designer, James Hicks. I explained and showed him my ideas for the sketches.. He has explained that I needed more sketches. He said to look into stars, shields, dog tags, and silohuettes as a sorce of inspiration to create new all American logo. He also recommended to not use Zapfino as a primary typeface for the logo.
24 | Branding
�leethi� The
Foundation
Branding | 25
These are some digital versions I created based on the imput given to me by the president of the company Gail Koster-Curiel.
26 | Branding
Aleethia
The
Foun datio n
Aleethia Aleethia
Aleethia
Aleethia
The
Foun datio n
Aleethia
The
Foun datio n
Aleethia
The
Foun datio n
Aleethia
Branding | 27
The following page has new sketches and ideas based on the feedback of James Hick. He suggested I go with 20, 21, 22, and number 5. He also stated I should work on the typeface as well sticking with a San Serif.
28 | Branding
Branding | 29
Here are new ideas created and developed based on James Hicks advice. They are developed three times in a different ways.
30 | Branding
1
9 8
7
6
5
4
3
2
10
11
Branding | 31
I also created new combination of typefaces since the others weren’t working.
32 | Branding
AlFoundation eethia
1a
The
2a
The
3a
The
4a
The
5a
The
6a
1b
Aleeth leethi i a Foundation
2b
Alee leet t h i a Foundation
3b
Foundation
4b
AlFoundation eethia
Aleeth leethi i a Foundation
Aleeth leethiia Foundation
Foundation
Aleeth leethi ia
5b
Aleeth leethi ia
A leeth leethi ia Foundation
6b
Aleeth leethi ia Foundation
Foundation
The
Foundation
Branding | 33
I narrowed down the options based of one logo and different type faces styles.
34 | Branding
1A
1B
AlFoundation eethia
The
2
Aleethia Foundation
Aleeth thi ia
The
Foundation
3
A leeth leethiia
The
Foundation
Branding | 35
Further discussion with James Hicks revealed that the logos still looked disjointed, the pieces are not working together harmoniously. He asked if I have done research on military logos? The pieces need to work together and not just float in the same group. Eagles 2 and 5 are the most graphic, the feathers on the neck of 2 need to be simpler and more graphic so that they are in the same family as the stripes. Stripe D works the best.
36 | Branding
1
a
2
b
3
c
4
d
5
e
Branding | 37
I went into more detail with the typefaces and rearranged them so they line up better. With the help of James Hicks it was determined the logotype #1 is the most successful right now; 4 and 5 could work but were not there yet.
38 | Branding
1
Aleethia Th e
FOUNDATION
2
3
Aleethia
THE
FOUNDATION
4
THE
ALEETHIA
FOUNDATION
5
Th e
Aleethia FOUNDATION
Branding | 39
After researching shields and eagle logos, I decided it was a great idea to use a shield for the logo mark. I made the eagle a little more graphic and incorporated the star so it doesn’t look like it’s randmomly floating.
40 | Branding
2
1
3
5
4
6
7
Branding | 41
After talking to James Hicks, we established that this logo was the best out of them all. We developed it further by using the first feather of the wing’s curve to establish the remaining wings and give it a more harmonial feel.
42 | Branding
1
2
3
Branding | 43
Taking advice from James Hicks, this typeface combination is the most succesful. I took the time to align the words properly such as “the”, centered it between the two e’s. For the word “foundation” it is loosely tracked and aligned with a strong vertical line from the letter i.
44 | Branding
1
2
AlFoundation eethia
The
Aleethia Th e
FOUNDATION
3
Branding | 45
Final logo design for The Aleethia Foundation along with the old logo.
46 | Branding
Branding | 47
48
Standars Guide
Standars Guide | 49
Color Palatte
Pantone P49-8U
Pantone P107-8U
Red and blue represent the United States flag, and a sign of freedom. Red symbolizes hardiness and valor, while blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice. 50 | Standards Guide
Logo Mark
Standards Guide | 51
Typeface
Palatino
Montserrat
Palatino is considered an Old-style serif typeface while Montserrat is a geometric sans-serif typeface created in 2011. The two pair together well.
52 | Standards Guide
Clearing Space
Standards Guide | 53
Don’ts
Do not put the main logo on the same or similar color background as the logo
54 | Standards Guide
Do’s
If you want to use the logo’s color as the backaground use the reverse logo alternative.
Standards Guide | 55
Standards Guide | 57
58 | Standards Guide
Standards Guide | 59
60
Website
Original Website | 61
Website The next step was to create a new website. The original is not up to date and difficult to read and navigate. I ensured to use some military images. I gave it a new fresh look by using consistent typography and using hierchy so it can be legible to all ages. I used the color palatte from the logo to support the website’s overall look.
62 | Website
Website | 63
64
Advertisment
Creating an advertisment is important to any organization who is trying to get recognition. Here we have an advertisment for Aleethia showing a disable veteran looking outside. The words on the bottom represent the organization and its goal.
Advertisment | 65
66
Conclusion
After a few weeks I have created a new logo for The Aleethia Foundation. The mark represents freedom while the colors are of those of the American flag. The logo in general is updated and modern, it has more of a personality with bolder colors. Using the new logo I have created a new stationery package and goods. I have updated the website and created an advertisement.
Conclusion | 67
68
About the Artist
As a very young age I found interest in art and design. I am a senior at George Mason University pursuing a BFA in Art and Visual Technology with a concentration in graphic design. As a military veteran I have accelerated in leadership. As a visual designer I have marketed logo design, stationery packages and branding services for small businesses. I have also built knowledge in typography, editorial design, motion design, package design, web design as well as Adobe Creative Cloud Programs and I have a strong foundation in art history, art critique and drawing. Right now as an artist I am focusing on identity based on my life experiences. I am also creating fears and dreams throughout my work hoping to change the world and make people see what I see and feel what I feel.
About the Artist | 69
Thank you to those who have served our country.
www.rosannacuriel.com 71
Rosanna Curiel created this book for her senior design project. She re-branded The Aleethia Foundation, her grandfather’s foundation and as a disabled Veteran herself this foundation means a lot to her. She believes that their brand is not updated and it needs a lot of work. Not only their logo needs help but also their website and advertising needs a push to achieve and gain a bigger audience. She believes that she can create something meaningful and modern.
