Minnesota China Friendship Garden Society

Client: Minnesota China Friendship Garden Society

Enhancing Visual Identity for the Minnesota China Friendship Garden Society

The Minnesota China Friendship Garden Society (MCFGS) embarked on a mission to elevate the visual identity of the Liu Ming Yuan 柳明園 Lub Vaj Phooj Ywg Saint Paul-Changsha China Friendship Garden of Whispering Willows and Flowing Waters park. This iconic garden symbolizes the friendship between Saint Paul, Minnesota, and Changsha, China. Wongderful, a design agency specializing in nonprofit visual identity, collaborated closely with MCFGS to create a cohesive and engaging brand presence. The project focused on developing a consistent system of brand colors, fonts, and materials to enhance the Society’s visibility and provide a unified visual communication experience.

Objectives

- Enhance the visual identity of MCFGS.
- Develop a cohesive system of brand colors, fonts, and materials.
- Create easily manageable communication materials and templates.
- Ensure accessibility standards are met.

Methodology

1. Research and Discovery:

- Conducted interviews with MCFGS leadership to understand their vision and goals.
- Analyzed existing visual materials and identified areas for improvement.
- Studied the natural surroundings of the Friendship Garden to derive a fitting color palette.

2. Design and Development:

- Developed a brand style guide incorporating natural green shades inspired by the park.
- Selected fonts that reflect the cultural essence and tranquility of the garden.
- Ensured all designs met WCAG AA accessibility standards.

3. Implementation:

- Created a suite of communication collateral, including brochures, flyers, and digital templates.
- Designed templates in Canva to enable easy updates and management by the MCFGS team.
- Provided training to the MCFGS team on using Canva templates effectively.

Deliverables

1. Brand style guide

- Color Palette: A selection of natural green shades derived from the park’s flora, evoking a sense of peace and harmony.
- Fonts: A combination of elegant, readable fonts that complement the garden’s serene atmosphere.
- Accessibility Standards: Adherence to WCAG AA guidelines to ensure all materials are accessible to a broad audience.

2. Brand consistency across all materials

- Standardizing the use of colors, fonts, and logos.
- Creating templates for various communication materials to maintain a uniform look and feel.

3. A variety of communication materials and Canva templates

- Brochures and Flyers: Informative and visually appealing, designed to engage visitors and supporters.
- Digital Templates: Customizable Canva templates for social media posts, event announcements, and newsletters, empowering MCFGS to maintain consistency effortlessly.

Color contrast tests were checked to see how color-blind people would view them and if the color contrasts worked. The final brand colors were tested directly to work with ADA compliancy.

Results

The project significantly enhanced the visual identity of MCFGS, achieving several key outcomes:

- Increased Visibility: The new brand identity heightened the Society’s presence both online and offline, attracting more visitors and supporters.
- Improved Engagement: Cohesive and visually appealing materials improved engagement with the Society’s communications.
- Empowered Team: The Canva templates and training empowered the MCFGS team to produce professional-quality materials independently.
  Conclusion

The collaboration between Wongderful and the Minnesota China Friendship Garden Society successfully elevated the visual identity of the Liu Ming Yuan 柳明園 Lub Vaj Phooj Ywg Saint Paul-Changsha China Friendship Garden of Whispering Willows and Flowing Waters park. The project’s focus on consistency, accessibility, and empowerment ensures that the Society can continue to promote and celebrate the beautiful cultural connection between Saint Paul and Changsha for years to come.