DCRAC Rebrand (Pro Bono)
Client: Delaware Community Reinvestment Action Coucil
Date: June 2020
About the client:
Founded to realize the promise of an accessible, community-centric financial system, the Delaware Community Reinvestment Action Council (DCRAC) provides low- and no-cost services that enable Delawareans to untangle and take charge of their financial lives. DCRAC integrates legal and financial services with community education and advocacy so low-wealth clients can manage and secure their own financial futures and thrive within mainstream banking and legal systems. For more than 35 years, DCRAC's expert staff and volunteers have held the First State's big banks accountable and continues to work toward a Delaware in which everyone has the financial services they need to thrive.
The creative challenge:
Our volunteer creative team discovered DCRAC's goal to "Transform Your Financial Life" encompassed four main pillars: the Stepping Stones Community Credit Union, The Money School, pro Bono legal services, and advocacy efforts in and around the greater Wilmington community. The team conducted a thorough audit of all of DCRAC's current assets—including print collateral, their website, and social media presence. From the audit, we identified three areas of focus: brand identity, messaging strategy and hierarchy, and social media guidance and best practices.
Role: Art Director
Art Direction, Digital & Social, Logo & Identity, Pro Bono, UX/UI & Web
Team:
Creative Director: Sara Roettger
Copywriter: Caroline Moore
Web Designer: Rachel Deeringer
Marketing Partners: Loren Phillips, Kim Harrison, and Riya Rodhe
Logo design exploration
My explorations led me to trying a couple of distinct color palettes, shapes visuals and typesetting. Colors palettes were inspired by similar organizations and Delaware's state colors of Colonial Blue (a shade of blue) and Buff (a light tan/beige color). We also experimented with options that didn't rely on the "DCRAC" acroynm, shortened the acroynm, and fully inlcuded it. See each logo variation page for details on the different approaches
Rebrand exploration
I focused this exploration on their Credit Clinic flyer to try multiple design approaches that felt cohesive with the logo options. Each version used the different color palettes, accents, and layouts that would help us define a visual indentity for all other assets once the client picked a final logo.
Final brand guidelines
After landing on a winning logo, we developed a robust brand and identity guidelines document. These guidelines clearly defined DCRAC's voice and tone for all communications as well as technical details for logo usages and typography recommendations.
Print assets
With the new logo and brand guidelines, I applied the new branded visual approach to important print assets such as business cards and the remaining suite of flyers.
Digital assets
And to build up DCRAC's digital presense, I provided both internal and external branded assets for video conferncing, social media, and YouTube.
Website redesign
Working alongside another designer, I assisted with art direction for DCRAC's new website. While this site was a intermediary design limited by the client's current CMS, we used the platform's builder to elevate the design to the full extent until they could aquire a complete redesign which is live as of 2026.
Social media guidance
Working with the our internal social media management team, we drafted a thorough, yet simple and easy to digest social media guidance document—all within the newly develop brand aesthetics. This guide was written and organized with a deep understanding of DCRAC's typical social activities and communications.
