THE CHALLENGE
Windy City Harvest, a Chicago Botanic Garden initiative growing 100,000+ pounds of produce annually, struggled to attract funding, recruit volunteers, or build neighborhood recognition. With no cohesive identity, inconsistent messaging, and limited design resources, they needed an operational brand system that non-designers could actually use with stock photography across dozens of touchpoints.
THE SOLUTION
We built a brand identity rooted in growth and Chicago pride. The four-leaf logo (with pink accent) has a conceptual layer: the negative space forms the six-pointed Chicago star from the city flag. We extracted that star as a standalone graphic element for OOH and marketing campaigns, reinforcing civic identity. The modular shape system and green-pink palette work everywhere – from bus shelters to volunteer lanyards.
Designed for internal staff to use easily, the system includes plug-and-play templates, stock photo-friendly layouts, and modular assets maintaining brand integrity without design expertise. Messaging focuses on impact: “Fresh food builds strong communities,” “Help us keep Chicago fed.” The system spans recruitment flyers, donor materials, OOH ads, email, social media, website, signage, and merch.
MY ROLE
As Creative Director and Brand Designer:
✔ Developed brand identity with six-pointed Chicago star negative space, extracted as campaign element
✔ Designed template library for flyers, posters, social, email, events – built for non-designer use
✔ Created volunteer materials, merch system, signage standards
✔ Built stock photo-friendly layouts enabling brand consistency without design support
✔ Wrote all campaign messaging and tone of voice guidelines
✔ Designed website, social templates, email frameworks
THE IMPACT
Operational Efficiency: The template system let staff create professional materials without constant designer support. Stock photo-friendly layouts meant tight budgets didn’t compromise quality.
Civic Positioning: The Chicago star element positioned Windy City Harvest as essential city infrastructure, not fringe movement. OOH campaigns resonated with civic pride, securing city partnerships and local funder credibility.
Growth: Volunteer recruitment increased as the brand became recognizable across neighborhoods. The professional system attracted major donors and signaled organizational maturity. The brand scaled with the organization, staying consistent as programs expanded citywide.
