Chicagoland
Lab Rescue
Bringing families and dogs together, one adoption at a time.
Brand Strategy
Logo Design
Visual Identity
Package Design
Collateral Design
The Chicagoland Lab Rescue is a fully volunteer run rescue that finds loving homes for labradors and lab mixes in the Chicago metropolitan area. As one of many rescues in the area, they needed a way to stand out and maintain a unified identity across platforms. In an effort to create consistency across platforms and events, and boost adoption rates, I developed a solid brand identity, advertising, and packaging for an adoption starter kit.
The Challenge
After having a positive experience adopting one of my dogs through them, I witnessed the care the volunteers put into finding a safe and happy forever home for their dogs and wanted to assist them in their mission. Since the Chicagoland Lab Rescue is run solely by volunteers, their branding consisted of many different elements that were created separately and in different styles. Their website, Petfinder profile, and social media accounts (such as Facebook) also seemed to need a single identity to unify their online presence. I aimed to develop a well-constructed brand that could be displayed across platforms while clearly communicating their mission and values.
The Process
Starting with the core of their brand, I first looked into their current messages, mission statement, and media. Both prioritizing the livelihood of each dog they rescue and treating the rescue like a family seemed to be recurring themes, so I used this mission to build the brand around, selecting both blues and warm hues to not only convey trustworthiness and energy, but also subtly allude to the Chicago flag. The logotype and mark are clean and playful, but also have a slight urban grit. Overall, I wanted the brand to be playful, but still be reminiscent of its roots and reinforce familial care and trust that the rescue offers to its dogs, adopters, and volunteers. When deciding how to increase the rescue’s brand awareness, I not only focused on collateral like posters, billboards, and social media, but also how to truly connect with potential adopters. From being a dog owner myself and talking with other pet owners, I found that most pet-owner bonding involves toys, treats, and quality time together, giving me the idea to create packaging for an adoption starter kit, including 3 types of dog treats and other essentials like a collar and leash for families to begin bonding with their new furry family member.
The Solution
After condensing the Lab Rescue’s mission down to it’s core, the organization now has a solid identity to unite their websites and events, reaching more families and individuals across the Chicagoland area. The adoption kit encourages bonding between pets and owners far after the dog has left the rescue’s care, and the advertising collateral focuses on messages the rescue aims to convey through their actions and care put into every adoption, enabling the Chicagoland Lab Rescue to continue bringing families and dogs together, one adoption at a time.
