We partnered with Thurston County in WA to develop a fresh brand and messaging strategy for the Department of Community Planning and Economic Development. What they do is not easy – they must convince residents that long-term planning (and the short-term sacrifice that often goes along with it) is worthwhile. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t always go over well.

Our goal was to envision a new brand identity that could help break negative preconceptions and increase understanding of their ultimate purpose. We worked together to understand audiences and interview staff, drilling down to what everyone could agree on: their love for this place and the desire to nurture what is great about it. We then used this identity to create a set of new materials including videos and infographics that moved away from the predictable government-speak to cut through to the heart of the matter: we do what we do for the love of where we live.