Literacy Buffalo Niagara
Branding, identity development, marketing, social media management, and website design for a non-profit that provides adult literacy tutoring
Literacy Buffalo Niagara is a non-profit organization that provides free and accessible literacy tutoring services to adults in Erie and Niagara County. Over the years, OtherWisz has provided our design and marketing services to the organization, growing their brand and providing them with the tools for success.
The Literacy Buffalo Niagara rebrand began with our in-depth Brand Audit and our Marketing Strategy process. After a thorough review of the organization, combined with input from their stakeholders, we were able to determine the best way for Literacy to strengthen and promote their brand. In an effort to better communicate their services to the public, the audit was followed by a name change exploration and thus “Literacy New York Buffalo Niagara” was shortened to Literacy Buffalo Niagara (LBN). After the renaming, LBN and OtherWisz began discussing the development of their new logo and tagline.
Services: Advertising, Brand Audit, Event Marketing, Logo/Identity Design, Social Media Management, Website Design, Website Maintenance
The new Literacy Buffalo Niagara visual identity differentiates the organization from other local non-profits. The logo depicts a group of people rising from a book to symbolize the impact of the organization and the community effort required to uplift those who need help most. The mark conveys an immediate message that would allow viewers to understand what LBN does at a glance, even to individuals with limited reading skills. The new logo was accompanied by the new tagline, “Change Starts With A Word” which was selected from several options written by our team.
The Literacy brand is defined by its vibrant colors and playful illustrations. Relying on the LBN brand standards, OtherWisz adapted the visual style into an informative brochure that is designed to provide a seamless reading experience for viewers. Whether they donate, become a tutor, or learn more about volunteer opportunities through the organization, readers are encouraged to do their part for literacy.
OtherWisz Creative redesigned LBN’s non-profit website to strengthen their online presence and solidify their brand. The Literacy Buffalo Niagara website is a useful resource for students, tutors, and donors to learn more about the organization and how to get involved. Since non-profits usually work with limited resources, the website was designed for longevity: updates are easy to make and information is carefully sorted in the most streamlined way possible.
Accessibility was central to the website design process, taking into consideration brand messaging for people with different levels of English comprehension. Recognizing the audiences that LNYBN reaches, the website uses descriptive imagery to communicate their message and applies color as a wayfinding tool, guiding users to where they need to go.
LBN’s website design and online brand present a fun and engaging visual language; playful illustrations are bright, colorful, and spark the imagination of the viewer. These visuals add a level of depth to their brand and speak to their mission, simultaneously navigating the issue of their students’ anonymity and communicating the services they offer.
The color palette was built upon the established brand of Literacy Buffalo Niagara and guides users to the most important sections of the site. In total, there are three different audiences that needed to be addressed in the site’s organization: volunteers, students, and donors. In order to best communicate across different audiences, the navigation is presented immediately on the website. The buttons intended for students are color-coded and use plain language to bring people where they need to go for an easy, navigable user experience.
