Fresh Air Brand Identity

I’m so excited to share a peek into a recent conceptual brand identity project for Fresh Air, a fictional non-profit based in Los Angeles.

This organization is doing some seriously important work: giving single parents transitioning out of homelessness a breath of "fresh air" and building foundations for sustainable life change. They offer after-school care for the kids and empowering workshops and Bible studies for the moms.

Designing this identity meant focusing on stability, connection, and hope—not just survival.

I kept the look clean, modern, and minimal, but anchored it with a warm, thoughtful color palette.

Primary Logo

The icon started with a simple question: what does breathing actually look like? I imagined it as movement—concentric semicircles flowing outward to the left for the inhale, then outward to the right for the exhale. When I overlapped them, something unexpected happened: they formed this geometric pattern that looks almost like a tree, with branches reaching up and roots anchoring down below. It felt right. Fresh Air is all about helping mothers build stable lives for themselves and their kids, and that rootedness—that sense of being grounded while still growing—is exactly what the organization offers. The symmetry and balance in the mark reflect that stability.

For the wordmark, I chose a modern, clean sans-serif that feels current without trying too hard. But it's not cold—it has these soft, rounded characteristics that make it feel human and approachable, which matters when you're working with people who are rebuilding their lives.

Summer Camp Logo

The camp logo needed to live in the same visual family as the main brand but carve out its own space. I kept that same monoline style and airy feel, but swapped in a campfire—a leaf over crossed sticks—to signal outdoor adventure and that classic summer camp experience. It's playful enough for kids without feeling childish, and it still feels like Fresh Air. The badge versions especially lean into that camp nostalgia while staying clean and modern.

I developed both logos pretty much simultaneously, with the main Fresh Air mark coming together just slightly ahead. I knew from the start that the organization needed a summer camp component, so the two had to inform each other. They needed to feel like siblings, not cousins—same visual language, same values, just expressing different parts of the work. That monoline style and open, breathable feel carries through both, keeping everything cohesive.

Brand Colors

The colors needed to do a few things at once. First, I wanted high contrast for accessibility—this work is too important for anyone to struggle reading it. But I also wanted the palette to feel like its name: a breath of fresh air. Light, airy, open. I chose Mint Cream for peace, Turquoise for joy, and Royal Blue for hope. But I anchored everything with Deep Eggplant—a rich, dignified purple that nods to the royalty these women are. It's fresh, but it's not flimsy. There's depth and reliability in there, which is what Fresh Air provides.

Typography, Photography & Iconography

The type system reflects Fresh Air's character pretty directly. Montserrat SemiBold handles the headings—it's geometric, modern, honest. It doesn't overcomplicate things, and it feels friendly and trustworthy, which is exactly how this organization shows up. For subheadings, I used Montserrat Italic to soften things a bit and bring in that caring, nurturing quality. Then for body text, I switched to Roboto Slab Light. The slab serif gives you a visual contrast to all that sans-serif, but it also adds weight and stability. It's a small thing, but it reinforces the idea that Fresh Air is something solid you can lean on.

The photography should tell the real story—not the brochure version. I want to see behind-the-scenes moments: volunteers and participants actually doing the work, kids' hands using tools in the after-school program, women deep in conversation during a workshop. Get in close on the details—the materials, the textures, the small moments that matter. But also pull back sometimes. Mix up your angles and distances. Too many posed, smiling-at-the-camera shots start to feel generic, and this organization is anything but.

Stylistically, keep things well-lit with cool tones—whites should read as true white, and colors should feel saturated and alive. The goal is to communicate joy and hope without sugarcoating the work. Above all, these photos should emphasize dignity, connection, and community. That's the heart of it.

Any supporting icons should match the logo's monoline style—simple, clean, and consistent. Nothing fussy. They're there to support the work, not steal the show.