In the creative industry, recognition is most often earned through awards. Shiny trophies made of acrylic, metal, wood, or some combination of all three that are ultimately bought by the entrants to fund the organizations handing them out. But others believe the real reward for great creative is the change it creates.
That’s the thinking behind the inaugural Change Order Fund initiative. Helmed by Brooklyn-based design studio Order, the Fund honors great creative work that drives meaningful change in the world. The reward for these exceptional uses of design that promote social good is not only a slick, acrylic trophy, but a $2000 donation to the non-profit the work was done for.
Of the five recipients for the Fund’s first year, Stan Can Design’s rebrand of Eddy House was selected for its focus “on a community and locale often overlooked. The design system achieves the stated goals and represents a big step forward from the former look and feel.”
Joining Eddy House as official Change Order Fund selections were Gen E by Outside, Philly Jazz Week by Ali Doucette, New York Community Trust by Hyperakt, and Peace Post for the International Peace Museum by Selman.
For most clients, it’s our job to get them fired up with a new purpose. When we began working with Eddy House, the only charitable organization for homeless and at-risk youth in Northern Nevada, it was them who lit the fire under us.
Their vision: End youth homelessness in Northern Nevada. A line as aspirational as it is inspirational.
Clearly, their purpose was well-defined. Their visual identity, however, was not. Eddy House was trying to split their appeal equally among their clientele: community donors, the government agencies who grant funding, and, of course, the homeless and at-risk youth they serve. The result? A brand that didn’t resonate with the vulnerable populations who needed them most.
With a new transitional living facility set to break ground, the public eye was going to be on this non-profit more than ever. A proper brand campaign was needed to capitalize on this moment.
Our research included a comprehensive brand discovery session with Eddy House leadership and staff members, surveys for the young adults in their care (clients), and volunteering shifts for everyone in our office. While management and employees were relatively aligned on the brand’s principles, our client surveys repeatedly mentioned “safety” and “hope” – both underrepresented in the brand identity.
We worked to incorporate both of these ideas into the brand’s identity, revising both their Brand Pillars and their Mission statements in the process. Additionally, we took their already rock-solid vision, “End youth homelessness in Northern Nevada,” and turned it into a call to action for the greater community.
In our design thinking, we knew we had to create something for young adults to rally around. We didn’t want the Eddy House brand to be something clients were forced to wear out of desperation. We wanted the brand to feel cool, young, and energetic, while maintaining enough professionalism to apply for grants and ask for donations. We wanted to inject a little bit of pride into a situation where it lacked the most.
We channeled a lot of the colorful, bubbly aesthetics and chunky typefaces that we felt resonate with younger adults. The logotype leans into nostalgic, larger-than-life Nickelodeon-era design and is balanced by the Archer font family for headlines. It exudes hope and positivity, representing the corner turned by all who use Eddy House.
The visual identity is brightened by a suite of rich, sherbet gradients representing each of the Eddy House brand pillars.
Our rebrand brought pride to the Eddy House leadership, its board members, donors, community members, and most of all, its clients. And that has already seen outstanding results. A 2024 Change Order Fund is now the $2,000 cherry on top. View more of the Eddy House Rebrand here.
