The Civic Trust Brand
CLIENT: United States Chamber of Commerce Foundation
It’s been a debate in the impact space whether brands and businesses should take a stand on social issues. But when the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation approached us with a plan to create The Civic Trust, we felt like their angle was one we could all agree on: Our country is in desperate need of a less polarized populace, and businesses supporting civic engagement and civic engagement education in schools is a powerful way to go about getting it.
Earlier that year the Chamber Foundation had released a white paper in conjunction with the Harvard Business Review called “The Business Case for Civics Education,” to which several civic, academic and business leaders lent their voices and data, from a former Secretary of State to the president of BET. The white paper showed that, while perceptions of civic health for our nation at large seemed to be going down, corporate workplaces were considered by the people who work in them to be very civil — largely because the workplace is where diverse people of diverse backgrounds come together to problem solve and reach goals collaboratively.
A push by businesses for civic engagement encourages these factors, whereas a push by businesses for increased civic education in schools means that the next generation of America’s workplace will already be well equipped to collaborate and innovate in their jobs. We just needed to build a brand capable of convincing and engaging the American public.
“Informed and active citizens make for a strong country, a strong economy, and a strong workforce. Our continued prosperity depends on the strength of all three, and so does the long-term health of America’s economy.”
The Civic Trust brand we created was built to maximize engagement. The color palette is vibrant and modern, yet patriotic, and derivative of the overarching U.S. Chamber of Commerce brand. Typefaces were chosen in order to allow the brand to sway between traditional and modern to connect with its various audiences (sometimes traditional politician or business audiences, sometimes youthful brands or the general American public).
The Civic Trust is still in its infancy, but its potential for impact in the ways we work, learn, connect, and make change is massive, possibly global. We believe it’s a responsibility shared not just with businesses, but with each of us. We look forward to what comes next, but we won’t be twiddling our thumbs in the meantime.
We also built a brand identity for The Civic Trust’s first program for school-age children, the National Civics Bee!
My role:
Concept, creative direction, design, copywriting
Additional credits:
Website by Heart of the Sun
Additional copy by Tim Taliaferro & John Munyan
Produced while employed by Spence
Celebrities and brands shown are examples only and do not reflect actual involvement… yet.
The Civic Trust brand we created was built to maximize engagement. The logo is distinct and recognizable — it calls out the “us” in trust, and is a very basic metaphor for progress: steps. The star at the top is a representation of our collective goals: The prize of a brighter future.
We oriented the brand around content types: Graphic typography and pattern use that lends itself easily to showcasing quotes, data, participation and case studies on the Chamber’s social media channels, in business-facing presentations, and for other digital and analog use cases.
To succeed, the brand needed to engage a wide audience, so we ideated tactics that allow for use by brands and influencers, such as a digital badge that signifies participation in The Civic Trust.
The brand flexes based on audience and content type, but its bold, graphic visual features ensure it’s recognized everywhere it lives. The brand’s voice is friendly and inclusive, yet powerful — it truly leverages the influence of business in the service of democracy.
It was imperative that large brands felt excited and compelled to share their participation, so the design of the seal and case study templates for companies that have pioneered civic engagement are hugely important to the success of the brand.