Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) is Vermont’s premier business association for companies leading with purpose. VBSR already knew their brand identity no longer reflected their strengths and value. But the true catalyst was change. Businesses are navigating economic uncertainty, workforce challenges, and threats to our democracy, and with a new Executive Director stepping up to bat, VBSR knew they had to meet this moment with refreshed energy to be a beacon of hope.
Although the initial request was for a new logo design, a brand audit uncovered opportunities to strengthen and unify the entire brand experience and informed our recommendations for greater clarity, consistency, and cohesion across every touchpoint.
While our research revealed an enormous amount of love for the organization, those closest to the brand struggled to articulate its value and impact. The passion, care, and energy of VBSR wasn’t coming through.
Our insights led to a strategic platform grounded in a bold new rallying cry “Build Love to Build Power” that simplifies how VBSR communicates its value. This framework maps the member journey across three tiers—human connection, progress and innovation, and action and impact—providing a strategic roadmap and messaging hierarchy to deepen engagement and meet people where they are.
We went to work designing an identity system that captures the essence of VBSR's core strength, its human-centered approach and ability to bring people together through shared purpose and values. The abstract shapes in the logo, inspired by the letters in VBSR, symbolize the diverse people and businesses coming together in conversation and collaboration. The shapes and their placement also speak to the ideals of openness, inclusion, and possibility, and of collective action taking shape.
The vivid color palette reflects the warmth and care at heart of the brand combined with a balance of expressive and pragmatic typography. Captivating patterns, also built from the shapes, are uplifting and energizing, working in concert to communicate connection, innovation and action within a dynamic and flexible visual identity system.
We collaborated to implement the rebrand with Bootstrap, Eternity, and the VBSR team across print and digital channels, developing refreshed event materials, a reskinned website, social and launch communications, and cool new merch.
Logo animation by Vaughn Traynor.