Community-Focused Brand Development
Located in a rural food desert, a group of Mt. Pulaski citizens banded together to form a food co-op. I was part of the development phase of this community-owned grocery store, managing the marketing concerns of the volunteer board and conveying the long-term vision to the community.
As a volunteer-run organization bringing a new business model to town, there were many moving parts. Not everyone had an aligned idea for how the store’s brand should look and feel. Members of the community were also confused about the co-op’s purpose and their role as owners or shoppers.
After establishing the guiding principles that informed the co-op's brand moving forward, it was easier for everyone to be on the same page—both internally with leadership and externally with the community. The guides can be used as new elected Board members and staff get onboarded, so that multiple voices can speak on behalf of the store with consistency and clarity.
This groundwork was used as I wrote content for and designed handouts, outreach letters, and their website copy. The overall effect of a cohesive message and brand was a professionalization that would have been difficult to achieve with volunteers alone.
The store has since launched and has immense potential to be a driver of economic development and healthier eating in Mt. Pulaski and the surrounding areas.
Leading the Market's PR Committee, we defined the store’s mission, vision, and values, along with key messages that would resonate with local shoppers and potential owners. I guided the committee and the larger Board through a series of surveys and votes on the brand messaging I drafted.
I contacted a graphic designer for the logo conception and creation, translating the Board's desires and the co-op’s values across the designer's iterations. This became the brand’s visual identity.
To support the many unofficial spokespeople of the new business (who all had passion for the project, but most of whom did not have a background in leveraging brand identities), I created a Facebook strategy, branding usage guidelines, letterhead, and more.
The co-op needed a website, so before building it, I researched platforms and hosting options that would fit their unique needs (e.g. many email users, potential for ecommerce, budget-friendly). I also set up their email accounts and linked the branded info address to their original makeshift Gmail account.
Creative Direction | Brand Messaging | Copywriting | Social Media Strategy | Website Creation