The City of Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) tackles some of the most challenging, emotionally-taxing, and complex issues on a daily basis, all while delicately balancing its view in the public sphere. The mission of DHS is to provide and promote safety, permanency, and well-being for children and youth at risk of abuse, neglect, and delinquency; a vital task for healthy communities. After enduring a period of significant change—leadership, system reform, a citywide brand identity initiative—its internal teams were craving direction and clarity. Untuck stepped in to help develop a consistent brand strategy that could be easily managed by internal teams moving forward.
Our holistic approach to the assignment started with streamlined internal messaging then extended to a reimagined identity. We met with various stakeholders and members of the DHS community to uncover fundamental challenges and identify key opportunities for improvement. It was essential to clearly define the inner workings of the DHS organization and its brand platform—mission, vision, brand promise, core values—as a first step. We then focused on simplifying communications by developing a consistent identity with an easy-to-manage secondary logo system to ensure cohesive branding among all DHS programs.
The consistent application of a secondary logo system and its approved graphics ensures a cohesive brand for all DHS programs. We built a comprehensive library of photographs showing diversity in age, race, and gender to ease the selection process for internal communications teams.
DHS aims to strengthen families so that they have the support and resources needed to keep children safe at home. To build on this vision and capture the appropriate vibe, we created a bright and youthful identity with just the right amount of structure.
