Branding and web design
Revitalizing a misunderstood brand scarred by scandal and partisanship.
Millennium
Where
NCIDA
Who
Creative Direction, UX, Branding
What
What was special about this:
This project afforded us the opportunity to use design to reframe the story about this local, government-adjacent organization.
01
What was it?
Plagued by years of local scandal, the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency needed to revitalize its image. There was a deep mistrust in the community and a misunderstanding about its purpose, goals, and funding. With a new administration and new leadership, it was ready to take on a new future.
Working with Camoin Associates (who provided audience and competitor research) and leading my team, we rebranded the NCIDA from a cold, stodgy, bureaucratic business entity, into a modern and approachable organization focused on the shared prosperity for Nassau County.
02
Great, then what?
Based on our strategic direction, the brand identity came together, using a modified typeface we instilled a sense of sense of friendliness and trustworthiness—playing with kerning to enhance the connection between the letterforms.
Color was next: Using orange (signifying positivity and movement) and blue (signifying trust and stability) we built a bold yet simple the palette with a decidely un-government feel.
03
So what about the website?
The NCIDA site became the nerve center for its operations and connections to its audience.
Beginning with user persona development for the various stakeholders (constituents, lobbyists, lawyers, clients, and the administration) the IA and UX was careful planned to ensure each audience would get what they needed from the site.
The design reinforced the brand identity with bold color and professional still and aerial photography of key areas of Nassau County, highlighting the commitment to its charge.
The website, built on the Drupal CMS platform, allowed the client to upload documentation, feature live video streams of its board meetings, and provide downloadable information required by the Freedom of Information Act.
04
The new brand
Making this government-adjacent agency feel non-governmental
