Chatham-Kent (like most small, medium AND large towns) is in the midst of a drug and more specifically a mental health epidemic; it seems that after the pandemic folks who were heating up finally boiled over and we’re seeing the results of that now. CK has resources that reach out to folks like Reach Out Chatham-Kent (or R.O.C.K.) as well as resources that intake folks like the Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine (RAAM) clinic, BUT in the middle of it all is the CKDAC (Chatham-Kent Drug Awareness Council).
Their mission statement states that they are “working together to raise awareness and reduce harms associated with substance abuse”; they do this through an approach of prevention, enforcement, treatment & harm reduction.
After our identity, print & web redesign for R.O.C.K., we were approached by the CKDAC to do the same; take what was their, rethink what works, what doesn’t and create a consistent voice to communicate the who, what & why of the organization.
We started with a cleaned up version of what they already had; a lineup of 4 figures beginning on the ground (left) and moving towards standing (right) showing the range of mental/physical states the individuals are in who deal with addiction. Having that as a foundation, we then explored full text, abbreviated text as well as colouring (AND of course JUST black / single colour); a great renovation!
As usual, we begin with a “safe” version of an identity design (OR redesign) and slowly move away from it keeping in mind the original idea, mood, etc. etc. etc. Here we played with the idea of health as well as the “pill” shape.
We thought a combination of the original and the “health” idea was worth a try; some neat concepts resulted; again playing with different hues and tones of the red, yellow, blue & green colourway.
Once we got this far, we though a new concept all together made sense; again we usually do this with newer clients where we want to gauge how “risk adverse” they are; IF they are into something new for the identity design, they’ll often be open to anything along the way.
Once we had a well rounded “to client 1” and sent it off to the board, we quickly understood the client was looking for an identity “renovation”, NOT a full redesign. All good!
Once we cleaned up the illustration(s), settled on a colourway and perfected the full and abbreviated title and subtitle we had a great, cleaned up identity which has set the foundation for the updated print and web designs, which we’ll release once complete.
We got creative.
Michael + Ruth Ann
Michael L’Ecuyer, B.Des. & Ruth Ann Pearce, BFA