BALTIMORE FIRE OFFICERS

In 2023, the Baltimore Fire Officers Union approached me to help them develop a logo and brand identity to accompany a new non-profit arm of the organization: the Baltimore Fire Officers Charitable Foundation. It was a rewarding challenge to work on this project, and I think the final results fit the organization's needs very well and got a great response.

ROLES:

APPS:

• Brand Direction
• Communications
• Marketing Identity
• Logo & Brand Design

• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• InDesign
• & Others

One image from the sketches that seemed to catch everyone's attention was the 2 hands resembling a flame. I liked the simplicity of it and that it merged a symbol for care (helping hands) with the flame icon. I worked on developing out how it would work as both an icon on it's own, and paired with a wordmark / initials for the organization. I chose 2 fonts that worked well together, one that felt like it fit with a fire department for BFO, and a clean, sans-serif font for "Charitable Foundation."

brand development

LOGO DESIGN

After the research was complete and we confirmed the overall direction of the Mission Statement and Tone Words to fit the organization, I began developing the logo. Starting with a mood board and some sketches always helps to see what is and isn't working. I presented some rough ideas to the client, and then moved forward with the best fit.

LOGO mock-ups

In developing the brand for this new venture, I started by doing research on existing non-profit organizations that parallel the stated goals of the foundation. I presented some of the research to the Union's Board of Directors, accompanied by a survey for the board to complete. The survey positioned questions regarding the mission and the purpose of the foundation. We searched for words that would help describe the organization, and other key factors to assist in developing the brand outline. The survey results helped me draft a Mission Statement and generate a list of Tone Words, which I presented alongside the survey results.

TONE WORDS

Community-driven
Duty
Empathy
Honor
Integrity
Service
Solidarity
Trustworthiness

MISSION STATEMENT

Our non-profit is dedicated to improving the health, safety, and welfare of firefighters, emergency medical service providers, and their families. We believe in the importance of providing assistance to individuals and communities impacted by fire and disasters, and promoting fire safety and health education.
...
We strive to be a beacon of hope and support for those in need, and to make a positive impact on the lives of those we serve. Join us in our mission to create a safer, stronger, and more prepared community for all.

Mood Board and Logo Sketches

FINAL LOGOS

Providing a brand guide was a necessity for this project, as the organization was developing a website at this same time and required guidelines for communicating logo usage, brand colors, fonts, recommended type pairings, and more.

BRAND GUIDELINES

PRINT & PDF • 17 PAGEs

The results of this branding project were very well recieved by the organization and it's board. I also gained a lot of valuable experience in helping to shape the organization's mission statement, tone words, and brand identity from the ground up. I look forward with collaborating with BFOCF again in the future.