Keep Durham Beautiful

Keep Durham Beautiful, Inc. (KDB) is a nonprofit, volunteer organization working in partnership with the City of Durham’s General Services Department and the County of Durham to bring private businesses, residents and community organizations together to conserve and enhance the appearance and environment of Durham through litter cleanup events, beautification projects, tree planting, pollinator gardening, and educational activities.

Prior to initiating fundraising to build Keep Durham Beautiful’s new space, the Hillendale Educational Pavilion, our team was brought in to evolve their brand identity and core messaging, as the current system in use was outdated, not radically differentiated in market, and inconsistent across applications. Following initial research on the current identity, competitor research, and stakeholder interviews, we presented three directions to KDB, with them choosing to move forward with the theme of Keep Durham Beautiful as a “Trailblazer” in the community.

The result is a flexible identity system that can be applied consistently across all platforms based on redefined core values. This identity utilizes bold colors and typography to communicate the trailblazer personality, as well as pulls in specific aspects of the local area, like Durham’s topography and a “D” shape. The logotype continues to reinforce these elements, by framing elements found in nature in the “D” shape to reiterate community, collaboration, growth, and protection. Ultimately, the identity speaks directly to the value Keep Durham Beautiful provides to the Durham residents and positions the organization to better serve the community. Assets included within the identity system are a logotype, typography, color system, photo treatments, patterns, and custom iconography, all documented within the provided brand guidelines.