YMCA Environmental Branding

[ about ]

As a result of multiple expansions and renovations over recent years, three Greater Somerset County YMCA branches’ interior walls looked more like the stark rooms of corporate real estate or the hallways of a clinical outpatient facility than a welcoming community-benefit organization. Hillsborough YMCA, Somerset Hills YMCA, and Somerville YMCA stood to benefit from the addition of core Y-branded wall graphics to aid in visually extending the essence of the Y brand beyond the signage and materials displayed at the front desk and lobby area as members walked past and into the building.

APPROACH & OUTCOME

While budget remained a consideration, the marketing team lent their skills and experience to provide cost-effective, flexible solutions to the visual issue of the first impression. All three branches had interior spaces of varying colors, textures/substrates, and vertical dimensions. A scalable solution was needed, where the same set of graphics could be ordered for all locations.

Full-color, freestanding vertical banner-sized graphics were produced and installed at multiple locations by in-house facilities teams. Measuring 48 inches wide and 95 inches tall, each vibrant wall decal design was entirely Y brand compliant. Decals featured the YMCA’s 4 Core Values of “CARING,” “HONESTY,” “RESPECT,” and “RESPONSIBILITY,” as well as the unofficial 5th Value, “BELONGING,” along with a descriptive sentence for added context. A vertical banner-style version of a “We Support & Celebrate Diversity” window cling, already in use at all Greater Somerset County YMCA branches, completed the collection.

The decals were designed to function as a system, with parts that could be installed together as a complete set, individually, or in any combination (provided Y brand standards regarding color juxtaposition within the palette were observed). Post-installation, staff and members took immediate notice of the new wall graphics. One staff member shared that their preschool-age dance class stopped in their tracks upon seeing the new graphic installations and stared in wide-eyed captivation at the bold and cheerful YMCA color palette punctuated with positive messaging.

This project is an example of the player-coach role I pivoted into while at Greater Somerset County YMCA as the organization recovered from impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including significantly reduced staffing levels in areas like marketing, finance, and HR.

MY ROLE

Graphic Design

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & TOOLS

• Strategy: Brand Differentiation | Brand Messaging | Brand Stewardship | Budget Management | Campaign Management | Conceptual Thinking | Customer-Centric Mindset | Nonprofit Marketing | Strategic Marketing & Planning
• Creative & Production: Color Theory | Content Creation | Creative Development | Environmental Graphics | Graphic Design | Layout & Composition | Print Production
• Tools: Adobe InDesign