A Brand Identity That Shines

Client

American Farmland Trust

Challenge

Since 1980, American Farmland Trust (AFT) has been a key driver of the agricultural conservation movement. Grants from AFT help fund solutions to resolve key challenges facing U.S. society by increasing the resilience of farms, strengthening local food systems and creating greater equity in opportunities for underserved farmers.

Though the organization’s grant programs — Brighter Future Fund, New England Farmer Microgrants Program and various one-off regional funding initiatives — have been successful and grown significantly, AFT reached out for help developing a holistic brand identity that would be recognizable to internal and external stakeholders.

SOLUTION

To be successful, we determined AFT needed an identity that would resonate with three key stakeholder audiences: corporate partners, individual donors and farmers.

After thorough discovery interviews with stakeholders, Curious Plot recommended AFT leverage and evolve the existing Brighter Future Fund name to represent the primary brand. The largest by far of the organization’s legacy grant-making funds, the Brighter Future Fund also had the greatest amount of equity.

Our new digitally illustrated brand logo served as the anchor for an all-new, comprehensive brand identity system.

RESULTS

The updated Brighter Future Fund identity system has been utilized across various AFT channels, including its website, social media and partner/sponsor outreach communications.

“Curious Plot really nailed it with their update to our Brighter Future Fund identity,” says David Thayer, director of marketing and membership, AFT. “It was clear they’d done their homework on our brand and audience. The new look has driven awareness and ignited greater support. Stakeholder audiences inside and outside the organization all love it because the end result was authentic to our brand. I give credit to Curious Plot’s approach and team.”