Fresh Air Brand Identity
Self-initiated concept · Brand identity · Primary logo, summer camp logo, color, type, photography and icon direction
Summary
Fresh Air is a fictional Los Angeles nonprofit that gives single mothers transitioning out of homelessness a breath of fresh air: after-school care for their kids, and empowering workshops and Bible studies for the moms. I helped build an identity centered on stability, connection, and hope, not just survival, with a sibling brand for its summer camp.
Their goal
Fresh Air exists to help mothers build stable lives for themselves and their children. Its brand needed to feel hopeful and dignified, a sign to the families it serves that this is a solid place to lean on while they rebuild. It also needed room for a summer camp program that could speak to kids without losing the organization's heart.
Their challenge
The brand had to feel light and open, like its name, without feeling flimsy. It needed to be warm and approachable for people rebuilding their lives, accessible enough that no one struggles to read it, and flexible enough to support two related brands that feel like siblings, not cousins.
How we got there
The mark: It started with a question: what does breathing actually look like? I drew concentric semicircles flowing out to the left for the inhale and to the right for the exhale. When I overlapped them, they formed an unexpected geometric pattern that looks like a tree, with branches reaching up and roots anchoring below. Grounded while still growing is exactly what Fresh Air offers, and the mark's symmetry reflects that stability.
The wordmark: A clean, modern sans-serif with soft, rounded details, current without trying too hard and human rather than cold.
The summer camp logo: I developed it alongside the main mark so the two would inform each other. It shares the same monoline style and airy feel, but swaps in a campfire (a leaf over crossed sticks) for outdoor adventure. Badge versions lean into camp nostalgia while staying clean and modern. It's playful for kids without feeling childish.
Color: Mint Cream for peace, Turquoise for joy, and Royal Blue for hope, anchored by Deep Eggplant, a rich, dignified purple that nods to the royalty these women are. I chose high contrast throughout for accessibility.
Type: Montserrat SemiBold headings feel honest, friendly, and trustworthy. Montserrat Italic subheadings add a nurturing softness. Roboto Slab Light body text adds contrast and weight, a quiet signal that Fresh Air is something solid.
Photography direction: Real moments, not the brochure version: kids' hands at work in the after-school program, women deep in conversation during a workshop, close-up details mixed with wider shots. The images are well lit with true whites and living color, and always emphasize dignity, connection, and community.
Icons: Simple monoline icons that match the logo and support the work without stealing the show.
The result
Fresh Air has an identity that feels like its name: light, open, and hopeful, with the depth and reliability the families it serves need. The main brand and the summer camp read as one family, and every piece, from the breathing-tree mark to the photography, puts dignity at the center.
Doing work that changes lives? Let's build a brand that shows it.
