How we’re raising the bar for non-profit organizations and small businesses

One of our core values at Rock & Bloom is ‘make a difference’. One of the ways we’re making a difference is by offering pro bono branding services for non-profit organizations and small businesses that might not otherwise have the resources to work with us.

The Who

You might have heard of us, but for those who are new here, we’re a Canadian-based brand studio with a knack for creating beautiful, functional, and results-driven projects. We’ve been fortunate to make a career out of building relationships and creating killer brands for hundreds of clients across the globe. We do everything from new brand identities, to full-blown websites, to crafting game-changing campaigns.

The What

Meet Brand Aid.    

We created Brand Aid with the intention of helping a ‘Champion of Choice’ elevate their brand and tell their story through in-kind donated work. The brands that we choose align with our core values and respect the work that we do. 

Non-profit organizations and small businesses do a lot with a little. They do so much for our communities, and yet very often lack the budget to elevate their brand or even properly communicate their services and skills to potential donors, clients or customers. They might lack the resources needed to create a strong brand identity, build a fully-functional, and user-friendly website, or to tell their story in an effective and far-reaching way. And yet, these are the stories that need to be heard the most. 

Brand Aid’s mission is to give a megaphone to those storytellers; to create positive change within an organization, giving them new tools to grow and succeed. 

The Why 

“At the core of our business is to make an impact. We don’t just want to make things that are pretty – we want to affect change in a client’s business.”

 – Heather Adams, CEO of Rock & Bloom

Brand Aid supports organizations that share our values and vision. Together, we’re able to build a partnership built on empathy and creative collaboration, producing impactful results that would otherwise not be possible. 

Brand Aid is not only meaningful to the client, but also fills the cups of our team members who are passionate about the work they are doing.  

Our mission is to be the best brand studio to work with and work for. Upholding this mission involves continually communicating with our team, rating fulfillment after each project, and really listening to feedback to determine what projects we spend our time and resources on.

The Impact

Our first Champion of Choice was Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan (RMHC-SK). This incredible organization offers a safe, secure, and nourishing environment  for families caring for their sick child receiving medical treatment in Saskatchewan.

RMHC-SK keeps families together, during what is a stressful and challenging time. The work that they do and programs they provide,  positively impacts the health and wellbeing of the entire family.

“It’s so incredibly rewarding to be a part of a project that is vital to our community and will have a huge impact on families’ lives – even long after they’ve left the house.”

– Mellary Bitner, Designer. 

When it came to choosing RMHC-SK it was an easy decision. We’ve worked with them for years on smaller projects and have developed a collaborative partnership that always results in both teams feeling fulfilled. The work that they do is so impactful and we felt honoured to be able to partner with their team again to tell their story in a truly compelling way. 

For this project, we built RMHC-SK a new website that is true to their mission, while showing what they do in a way that speaks to their audience. The end result is both functional and beautiful, creating a positive user experience and leaving the user with a lasting impression.

“We have truly enjoyed the time spent in collaboration with Rock & Bloom over the many years we have engaged with their team as our Design Agency. The Rock & Bloom team is incredibly easy to work with and truly understands our brand and mission. The sharing of their expertise as true partners to our organization is valued and appreciated by our entire team.”

– Tammy Forrester, CEO Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan

Energizing change: How we transformed an international energy brand for global impact 

Based in The Netherlands, WMC Energy leverages their network, market knowledge and financial engineering capability to bring the raw materials produced by mining companies around the world to the processors and end-users that help build a cleaner future.

In other words, they provide the resource solutions needed for the global energy transition to an efficient, stable and sustainable society.

A vital mission such as this one needs a strong brand, a functional website, and impactful messaging to support and drive their efforts. We were honoured to take on the challenge and position WMC for growth.

Challenge Accepted

WMC has continued to gain traction; our challenge was to build off of the momentum that has been generated, while attracting and retaining key partners with a credible, professional brand.

Through a balance of professionalism, sophistication and innovation, we wanted to build a strong and confident brand that generates excitement and energy, acting as a foundation for the business as it continues to evolve.

Big Goals Lead to Big Gains 

The project scope included: 

  • Brand strategy
    • Key messaging 
  • Brand Identity
    • New logo
    • Colour palette
    • Font selection
  • Brand Guidelines
  • Marketing Collateral 
  • Website Redesign
  • Photography Creative Direction

Getting Down to Business  

Logo 

The WMC logo is simple, clean, and recognizable. We opted for a modern take, while clean lines represent a strong and timeless aesthetic.

The logo is in movement; it’s fluid and flexible. The ‘W’ and ‘M’ connect, representing the link that they provide to a cleaner future. 

Colours & Fonts 

To complement the new logo, we chose modern colours and fonts, embodying a fresh and exciting feel, while remaining polished and professional.

Colour is an integral part of WMC’s brand identity and reinforces the cohesiveness of the brand. The color palette was inspired by Amsterdam, where it all started. The old palette was cold, whereas the new palette – featuring oranges, reds and golds as accents – is warm and inviting.

Typography is a powerful brand tool when used consistently. We chose a font that perfects the balance of rugged and weathered, creating a sophisticated trustworthiness. Our secondary font is purposefully plain, prioritizing legibility and balancing the expressiveness of the other fonts.

“We are glad to have chosen Rock and Bloom as our rebranding partner. They have done an amazing job in designing a brand and logo that reflects our company vibe, values and most important—ENERGY. We are a dynamic group, who cares about our world’s energy transition, and we feel that our new brand captures this sentiment and drive.

Leah Laxdal, WMC Group, Amsterdam

Website

One aspect of this project was ensuring that WMC didn’t come across as a startup. They have the challenge of competing with massive players in the space, and we wanted to make sure they stood out for the work they do.

This meant breaking down a complex business model and making it easy to understand. We created visually appealing infographics that explain their process in a concise and easily digestible way. We also used key messaging to tell their story in a compelling way that would resonate with users.
Photography played a pivotal role in conveying WMC brand’s essence and values. We wanted to focus on showcasing people in their visual storytelling, as it aligns with their core business value of building strong and lasting relationships.

Celebrating The Wins

We loved working with this international team. Through thoughtful collaboration and intentional design choices we created a brand that really makes a splash in their industry, helping them stand out from the competition and positioning them for future growth.

WMC is building a reliable business that will continue to grow and expand for many years – this new brand will set them up for success, helping contribute to global energy sustainability and security.

Despite being a company based in Amsterdam, Rock and Bloom were flexible to work around our time difference and facilitate digital meetings that accommodated our busy schedules and varied availability. They provided regular communication and project updates, and they were able to pivot with our feedback throughout the entire project.”

Leah Laxdal, WMC Group, Amsterdam

Check out their new brand and website to learn more about how they’re changing the world.