Imagine Omaha Branding

Background

Imagine Omaha sprang from the minds of a dynamic group of Black leaders rooted in Omaha. The city grapples with some of the most substantial racial inequality nationwide. Black Omahans confront an income and employment gap that begins early in their careers, a homeownership gap, and a deficiency in leadership opportunities. They face barriers in accessing fast and efficient public transportation and entrance to affluent social networks. Moreover, they suffer from chronic health conditions at higher rates than the city’s white population. These layered, intersecting challenges make the climb from poverty to the middle class a formidable journey for many Black residents. Historical approaches to this systemic issue have been plagued by a shortage of truly innovative solutions, paired with a marked lack of financial support and acknowledgment for Black-led organizations.

Recognizing these multi-faceted problems, a formidable team of 10 Black community leaders from Omaha came together in 2020. Their mission: to conceive fresh, groundbreaking models specifically designed to confront and overcome the racial wealth gap. 

Naming & brand strategy

Our collaboration with Imagine Omaha began with intensive workshops aimed at uncovering the organization's values and internal culture. Through these sessions, we helped distill their ethos into a potent name inspired by their internal beacon phrase: "Imagine Omaha without a racial wealth gap." This process led to the development of their 'written brand'—a strategic blueprint detailing their values, target audiences, key messages per audience, positioning statement, points of parity and difference, brand traits, and boilerplate narratives.

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Visual brand identity

‍Embarking on the creation of Imagine Omaha's visual brand identity, our inspiration was drawn from diverse and meaningful sources that hold significant cultural resonance. The starting point was their logo, which is a modern interpretation of the 'Birds in the Air' quilt pattern. This design was chosen for its historical significance: traditionally used as a secret language among African slaves to communicate escape routes and other vital information. In this context, it encapsulates the spirit of a journey towards freedom and prosperity.

Our chosen color palette subtly echoes the hues of the pan-African flag, a symbolic nod to the heritage and history of the Black community. These colors serve as a constant reminder of the resilience, courage, and determination that form the backbone of Imagine Omaha's mission.

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Typography and graphic elements

‍For typography, we selected the Centra No.2 font from Sharp Type. This geometric sans-serif typeface possesses an inherent balance, combining influences from modernist typefaces of the twentieth century with a keen focus on texture and readability. It adds a layer of sophistication and modernity to the brand, ensuring legibility across all platforms while maintaining a distinct style.

The visual identity is further enriched by supporting graphic elements. The use of halftones lends a dynamic visual texture and depth, while the artful use of silhouetting introduces an element of storytelling and individuality. The integration of the logo into images further enhances the brand's visual language, creating a multi-faceted identity that is as distinct as it is memorable.

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The pitch deck

As a key instrument in Imagine Omaha’s initial introductions to foundations and individual donors, the pitch deck vividly encapsulated their innovative theory of change. By visually translating the newly crafted messaging program, the pitch deck reinforced donor presentations and accelerated Imagine Omaha’s transformation from an inspired concept to a robust organization within a mere three years. It was instrumental in attracting substantial funding from several local institutional donors and securing a significant contract with the Urban League of Nebraska. With its compelling narrative and distinct visual representation, both the messaging program and the pitch deck amplified Imagine Omaha’s founding narrative and innovative model, propelling their vision forward.