Brooklyn Movement Center
Building a brand to launch a grassroots organization in Central Brooklyn
Background
Before the gentrification wave that hit Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights in the 2010s, these neighborhoods were slim on resources and economic support form the city. Fresh grocery options were nonexistent, NYPD was stopping and frisking, and many homeowners were being targeted with schemes to cheat them out of their homes.
Activist Mark Winston Griffith wanted change. He had previously founded the Brooklyn Cooperate Federal Credit Union to provide banking access to these underserved communities, and now he wanted to build on that foundation. So, he founded the Brooklyn Movement Center.
The Brief
We set out to create a visual brand for the new organization that would stand out, work in different scenarios. But, as a grassroots startup, it was very important that the brand didn’t feel corporate.
I led all the design efforts, working directly with the team to shape the direction and final logo and brand assets.
The 1st Direction
A contemporary take with sharp edges and blocky type.
The 2nd Direction
Rough around the edges with a compact lockup and forward arrow.
The 3rd Direction
Type built out from a grid, with structural elements visual to build upon the urban environment.
2nd Direction a Go
With its rougher edges, the second direction really resonated with the team. But, they still felt it was too formal.
Iterations
With the rough edges in mind, we created several lockups using the main type paired with ink block shapes.
The Final Lockups
The final versions of the logo include a handful of options and variations on the name and tagline. Each lockup is "rough" rather than strictly gridded, to keep that grassroots feel.
Adding Color
We identified early on the deep brown and orange as the primary brand colors. For the final brand toolkit, we included contrasting colors for use across different campaigns.
Final Applications
As a startup, there weren’t a thousand items to rollout. But the project led to some early applications.
