Overview
Since 1985, Child Care Answers (CCA) has been a free resource for all things child care. The nonprofit connects and advises families, child care professionals, employers and community partners in three Central Indiana counties. Its goal is to help people find the child care answers they need and create seamless experiences for everyone involved.
The Challenge
When CCA gained status as an independent nonprofit after an amicable break from its parent organization, Early Learning Indiana, it needed to clarify its mission and identity. SmallBox stepped in to help CCA navigate this new territory—and find new ways to make an impact.
The Approach
The process began with a fun card sorting exercise that helped the CCA team discover what their organization was all about—and what they wanted it to become. Working hand-in-hand with Executive Director Mollie Smith, Knowledge Manager Kristin Kahl, and others on the CCA team, SmallBox helped create a new brand story. The process included collaborative work sessions, interviews with clients, work with the board, gathering consumer feedback — even circling back to Early Learning Indiana. Throughout the process, SmallBox and CCA worked as creative partners, approaching every decision thoughtfully and considering how it would impact families, community members and clients. “Each person or organization is looking in through a different lens,” Smith said. “We took this all into consideration.”
Results
CCA’s new logo and brand guidelines built on CCA’s legacy, including a rich palette informed by its original rainbow of colors. The new logo, brand guidelines and messaging were just the start. When it became clear that CCA needed a new website to support its bright new brand, the SmallBox team conducted a co-design session and prototyping activity. The resulting website includes a new online resource center built to grow along with CCA. The team also developed a robust launch plan and strategized about how the small CCA team would keep the site fresh. Details mattered, too. The site offers glimpses into the physical spaces of child care programs and represents nearly any child care situation possible—from a single mom in the suburbs without a car to a grandpa taking care of his grandchild. Just as families don’t look just one way, no two projects are exactly alike. The CCA brand and website are as unique as the nonprofit’s clients.
Smallbox led the way on visual rebranding and website development and served as a trusted — and patient — consultant as we developed our brand story and how we plan to talk to our audiences about our new organization. We were lucky to have them.
– MOLLIE SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
