Branding, verbal and visual identity
Approach
You don’t often get open space in a city, but in Chicago, we’re lucky—we have the lake. Its endless horizon unlocks your imagination.
Would you be surprised to know that thousands of Chicago’s children have never experienced the lake—even seen it—though they live just a few miles from it? That stunning fact helped launch an idea for two prominent Chicagoans, who decided that inner city children needed to experience all of the wonders and soul-enriching powers of nature.
Lake Affect is taking kids out of the city to a rural camp where they can experience open spaces, fresh air and cool lakes, and engage in team-building activities with mentors that will help build confidence and communication skills that serve them for years to come.
Naming
There is a weather phenomenon well-known by everyone who lives in Chicago (and elsewhere around the midwest) called the lake effect. It’s most commonly felt in winter, when Lake Michigan creates localized snowstorms. You might get several inches of snow near the lake and virtually no snow once you leave its climate region. It creates a localized impact–just as our client was hoping to do for these kids.
By changing “effect” to “affect” we made sure it was known that this place would make an outsized impact on the kids for the rest of their lives. Perhaps even change their lives. And by using the phenomenon of the lake effect, we successfully tied the name to the region, its founders, and the camp’s targeted population. We also wrote the tagline, “Ripples Make Waves” to communicate that even the smallest effort can make a massive impact.
Visual Identity
The visual identity was created to reflect the transformative powers of nature; to be light, bright and approachable; and to put a smile on the faces of children. The color palette, friendly logo, and acronym (LAFF!) does just that.
