Estuary Conservation Brand Refresh

casco bay estuary partnership

visual strategy | accessibility design | logo design | brand guidelines | Templates

Overview

In collaboration with Grimm & Grove Communications, we developed a refreshed visual identity for Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) including a modernized logo, accessible design elements, and a comprehensive brand system. Guided by G&G’s brand narrative and strategy, the new identity reflects CBEP’s mission of environmental stewardship and is crafted to engage both current and new audiences, ensuring consistency and accessibility across every touchpoint.

About CBEP

CBEP unites municipal, state, and federal agencies, nonprofits, local businesses, and community members to protect Casco Bay and its watershed. With scientific expertise and a collaborative approach, CBEP addresses water quality, resilience, and conservation challenges, empowering communities to actively contribute to environmental preservation.

Our Contributions

As part of our partnership with Grimm & Grove Communications, we led the visual strategy and design for CBEP’s brand refresh. We conducted a brand audit, collaborated on the narrative, and developed three visual concepts based off G&G's strategic insights. After refining the chosen direction, we designed two logo options, created comprehensive brand guidelines, and developed reusable templates.

Our rollout plan ensured a smooth launch, empowering CBEP with a modern, accessible identity that resonates with both internal teams and external audiences.

Kind Words

“We LOVE it! We all had the same reaction. It pays homage to our current logo (is a refresh) but is clean and modern. On behalf of our team, we are thrilled!”

- Victoria Boundy, Community Engagement Coordinator, CBEP

01
the problem

CBEP’s brand needed to evolve to connect with expanded and underserved audiences while reflecting their growing focus on climate resilience and water-related challenges. The brand also faced overlap with partner organizations, making it difficult to clearly communicate CBEP’s unique mission. Additionally, the brand needed to strengthen, rather than compete with, the messaging efforts of their partners.

02
Solutions

Strategize

Expand reach by refining messaging for underserved audiences, clarifying its role within the Casco Bay watershed. Craft approachable, consistent messaging with a clear tagline to strengthen connections with new communities and reinforce CBEP’s mission.

Design

Redesign the logo and visual identity to reflect their expanded mission and values, focusing on accessibility and inclusivity. Use colors, typography, and imagery that feel down-to-earth and approachable, ensuring the new brand speaks to both professional partners and underrepresented communities. Differentiate CBEP’s identity from its partner organizations while maintaining a cohesive presence.

Unify

Develop a comprehensive brand book and style guide that includes clear guidelines for visual consistency across all mediums, ensuring accessibility in design. Create reusable templates for internal teams and external partners to maintain consistency.

Launch

Plan and execute a seamless brand launch, including internal and external communication strategies. Provide a step-by-step rollout plan to introduce the refreshed brand to the target audiences, ensuring a smooth transition across digital and print platforms. Focus on empowering CBEP’s team to confidently use and share the new brand materials.

01
Brand Discovery & Strategy

CBEP engaged with Grimm & Grove to refine their brand through stakeholder interviews, research, and competitor analysis. Elliworth Creative Co. complemented this work with a visual brand audit to assess existing assets and uncover opportunities for a refreshed identity.

Key Findings from G&G:
‍
To better connect with the community, CBEP needed to feel more approachable and accessible, especially to underrepresented groups. G&G identified ways to tailor messaging for different audiences, highlight CBEP’s data expertise, and build on the trust they’ve already earned. Strengthening partnerships and updating the visual system were also key steps toward expanding reach and deepening impact across the region.

G&G developed updated messaging to clarify and strengthen CBEP’s brand, including the tagline “Caring for our waters together.” The focus was on creating messaging that is inclusive and action-oriented, positioning CBEP as a trusted leader in watershed protection. Audience personas were also developed to support more targeted outreach.

Elliworth Creative Co. recommended updates to refine CBEP’s logo, typography, color palette, and imagery. The goal was to create a cleaner, more consistent, and more accessible visual identity that better connects with CBEP’s diverse audiences and reinforces the organization’s impact.

02
Visual Conception & Direction

The refreshed visual identity was backed directly by research, insights, and personas - ensuring the design was rooted in strategy, not just aesthetics. Bold, earthy colors reflect CBEP’s foundation of stewardship and trust, while organic shapes and subtle map elements create a strong sense of place and interconnectedness across the watershed.

Designed to align with CBEP’s broader goals, the updated brand modernizes and differentiates the organization, highlighting its leadership in water quality and habitat protection. Inclusive, community-driven imagery and accessible design elements further extend CBEP’s reach, strengthening connections with diverse audiences and reinforcing its forward-looking mission.

03
Logo Design

Logo Approach Keywords

- Science
- Stewardship
- Human
- Connected
- Collaboration
- Accessible
- Inclusive
- Organic/Earthy
- Approachable
- Community

04
Visual Identity System

The color palette was inspired by the natural landscape of the Casco Bay watershed, evoking a sense of place and connection to the environment. Deep blue and teal represent the waters, while also symbolizing technical expertise and funding support. Warm earth tones like ochre, sandy beige, and rich brown reflect the land and emphasize inclusivity and human aspect. Accents of vibrant orange and light, airy blue add a touch of energy and clarity, to keep the palette both grounded and inviting.

Designed with accessibility in mind, these colors ensure strong contrast and readability.

Primary

#0e3455

#008975

Secondary

#72845c

#e4c5b1

Tertiary

#986f50

#cb6100

Neutral

#fffefa

Success

#9fb483 - op 25%

#9fb483

error

#c24936 - op 25%

#c24936

05
Reflection

Prioritizing Accessibility

One of the most important takeaways from this project was how critical accessibility is to effective brand communication. Design isn’t just about how something looks; it’s about how it functions for everyone. From improving color contrast and typography to making the visual language more inclusive, every decision was made to ensure CBEP’s materials are welcoming and usable for all audiences. True impact starts with removing barriers.

Design Grounded in Strategy

This project also underscored that strong design is not subjective when it’s rooted in research and insights. Every visual element—from the organic shapes to the bold, earthy colors—was created in direct response to the audience needs, strategic goals, and opportunities identified during discovery. Thoughtful design aligned to strategy has the power to build connection, trust, and long-term brand equity.

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