The Communities Foundation of Oklahoma (CFO) strengthens our state through thoughtful charitable giving. Since 2001, it has distributed over $200 million to worthy causes. The organization’s mission depends on crucial donations from families, businesses and individuals across the state. But what happened when the organization’s brand needed a refresh?
CFO faced formidable headwinds in the marketing arena. Its brand image was aging, and it was often confused for a local competitor with a nearly identical name. These challenges created a disconnect with younger donors who were vital to its future.
We wanted to create an updated brand that stayed true to CFO’s strong, credible reputation. To honor long-standing donor relationships, it was important to instill a sense of continuity while giving the brand a fresh look.
We modernized the brand with vibrant colors, typography designed for digital readability and a new, aspirational tagline: “Where Passion Meets Purpose.” Finally, we incorporated powerful imagery to infuse the brand with emotion.
The result was a dynamic, approachable brand and a radically redesigned website. Our work won over a new generation of donors. It also won over our valued client who hired us for yet another rebrand — for the Women’s Foundation of Oklahoma.
As a longstanding nonprofit, The Communities Foundation of Oklahoma (CFO) faced formidable headwinds in the marketing arena. Its brand image was dull, dated and bureaucratic. And it was often confused for a local competitor whose name was nearly identical. These challenges created an emotional disconnect between the company and younger donors who were vital to its future. To compound matters, the organization’s website was confusing and outdated. CFO needed a new brand and a website that could stand the test of time. Importantly, it needed a fresh look that appealed to new and existing audiences. So, we huddled up and made a plan to reinvigorate the brand.
We wanted to create a new brand for CFO that was refreshing and updated while staying true to its strong, credible reputation. To honor long-standing donor relationships, it was important to instill a sense of continuity while giving the brand a fresh look. So, we made a plan to blend new and familiar elements, update the tagline and infuse the brand with revitalized energy – all with an eye toward highlighting the organization’s impact in the community.
We modernized CFO’s brand with a vibrant palette of green colors paired with ivory, gold and salmon tones. The verdant greens represent new growth with a subliminal nod to finances. The brand’s new typography featured Spectral and Lato fonts, both designed for easy readability in text-rich, screen-first environments. And finally, we incorporated emotional imagery to infuse the brand with emotion. The result was an approachable aura that showcases human connections.
CFO's new, user-friendly website is easy to navigate, and we rolled out a new, aspirational tagline: “Where Passion Meets Purpose.” This inspiring message breathed new life into the brand, helping it connect with younger audiences to want to live – and give – intentionally.
