The Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester is an organization focused on the prevention and intervention of child abuse. Many in the community know of the organization through its powerful work in child abuse intervention.. However, with their brand refresh, they wanted to tell a more hopeful story about their work preventing abuse in the community and restoring families after traumatic events. Helen + Gertrude evolved and refreshed the brand to prioritize community involvement and partnerships, aligning stakeholders with the mission of hope.
Our campaign aimed to educate both children and adults on breaking the cycle of abuse while instilling hope. We sought to increase awareness of the center’s mission, available resources, and the importance of community-driven support. Additionally, we highlighted the organization’s 20th anniversary of serving the Greater Rochester community and marked a new chapter, reinforcing its dedication to those in need.
While child abuse is a difficult topic, our approach focused on hope and a brighter future. Every aspect of the campaign prioritized safety, prevention, and the center’s ongoing commitment to protecting and empowering the community.
Because this organization is centered on community, that’s where we started. We collaborated with many different stakeholders, gathering subject matter expert interviews from board members, volunteers, donors, survivors, and an advisory committee. We also surveyed over 50 individuals engaged in the organization, ranging from staff to their multidisciplinary team of law enforcement, medical, therapists, and other professionals.
These findings, combined with the perspectives of our community-led advisory committee, formed the foundation for our leading insight: Child abuse is invisible. It happens in secret places. Trauma is inevitable until the entire community collectively decides to take action to prevent it.
We transformed this into our tagline, “Heard. Seen. Believed.” which perfectly captures the organization’s child-centered approach to addressing abuse.
This purpose-driven approach also informed our decision to refresh the brand, including a new name, tagline, and design elements to reinforce the organization's mission and impact.
Our goal was to ensure that hope and the message “Heard. Seen. Believed.” resonated throughout every aspect of the creative. The refreshed logo was designed to symbolize a hopeful figure, while the color palette, including teal blue (a color widely recognized for representing child abuse), was chosen to be both inviting and uplifting.
Following best practices for accessibility, we crafted a website that serves as a safe, informative, and welcoming space, encouraging both adults and children to explore and access resources.
Additionally, we conceptualized and filmed a video to promote the new brand. The video features local talent and agency stakeholders, and offers a deeper look into the center's work and its positive impact on the Greater Rochester community.
The updated brand guidelines provide clear direction on the organization’s core values, beliefs, and mission, ensuring alignment among all stakeholders—board members, volunteers, and community members—toward a unified purpose.
The rebrand was unveiled during the organization’s 20th anniversary celebration, a public event attended by State Senator Samra Brouk, Assembly Members Harry Bronson and Jen Lunsford, and County Executive Adam Bello. The event garnered significant attention, with media coverage reaching an audience of 623K people and generating 155 positive engagements.
Local publication Rochester First highlighted the rebrand, noting, “The new name reflects the organization’s broad impact, making its vital services more accessible to the community.”
