We’re Turning 100, But Don’t Want to Look Like It
Marking 100 years of serving the community not only calls for a celebration, but for a fresh new look. As we approached our upcoming Centennial in 2024, we recognized an exciting opportunity to update our logo and brand. At Judson Center, we know that while a logo doesn’t impact the incredible care we provide, the way we present ourselves to those we serve matters. Our brand identity is often someone’s first impression of who we are and what we do. For this reason, we did not approach the brand refresh lightly. We handled this change carefully, wanting to give honor to the history of our organization while making important updates. Design trends, accessibility requirements, and the ways we communicate with those we serve have changed drastically over the last few decades. It was time for our brand identity to evolve and empower us to continue meeting the needs of those in our community.
The Evolution of Judson Center’s Logo
An early version of our logo existed in our signature navy color with bold font. The curved shapes within the navy square represented the arms of caring people surrounding a person in need of support.
As the logo evolved further, colors were added to bring it up to date and help it stand out in print and online. The newly added colors were intentionally chosen to not only represent the diverse community of children, adults, and families we serve but were also connected with core service areas.
These color selections also align with psychological meanings which reinforces the purpose and significance of each area. Let’s explore the meaning and connection of our brand colors.
Purple
This color represents our Child and Family Care including Foster Care, Adoption, Mentoring, and Family Preservation. Purple has long been a symbol of unity, kindness, and wisdom. Even further, it can represent strength, transformation, and emotional healing. All of these are things we wish for the children and families we care for. When we opened in 1924 we were known solely as an orphanage for boys and girls in need. While we no longer operate this way, we still support and care for children, teens, and their families before, during, and after an experience with foster care. For 100 years, our services for children in need have remained at the center of our mission.
Orange
This color represents our Autism Care including Diagnostics, Applied Behavioral Analysis, and Family Support. Orange represents optimism and confidence. It also evokes feelings of creativity, playfulness, and connection. Since opening Autism Connections, in 2005, we have helped thousands of children and youth navigate an autism diagnosis with confidence as they learn to connect with their family, peers, and the rest of the world.
Green
This color represents our Health Care including Behavioral Health, Primary Care, Substance Use Disorder, and Medication Assisted Treatment. Green represents balance, harmony, health, growth and renewal. In the same way, the green in our logo represents how we help our clients find whole health and well-being. Our integrated services work together to care for the whole person, mind and body. We strive to see each person having the support they need to heal and grow.
Light Blue
This color represents our Disability Care including Respite Care and Vocational Services. This shade of blue is associated with reliability and dependability. It evokes a sense of calmness, openness, and trust. Since 1986, we’ve been advocating for the acceptance and inclusion of adults with disabilities. Today, our programs have evolved, and our Disability Care now supports children at Lahser’s Respite Home and adults through our Vocational Services programming. We strive to see every person with a disability knowing their worth and feeling empowered to contribute in their unique way.
Dark Blue
This color represents our Administrative Services and Leadership. The Navy represents stability and professionalism. This color not only harkens back to our original logo but represents the many support departments within our organization that contribute to our mission. This color also includes the contributions brought to the organization by our Executive Leadership Team and our Board of Trustees.
The New Judson Center Logo
Today’s refreshed logo maintains the integrity of these added colors and what they represent at a deeper level. It also continues to show purple at the center as a nod to our humble beginnings 100 years ago. The newest version of the logo, designed by Doner Detroit, is lighter and more modern in its execution. It expertly captures the balance between our storied past and our grand vision for the future of caring for our community.
Stronger Together
In refreshing the Judson Center logo, we wanted to give the same attention and thought to our affiliate, Child Safe Michigan. Anyone familiar with the logo will recognize the signature owl but may notice he’s received a new purple heart, a nod to our shared vision of caring for children and families. Strengthening and supporting children, youth and their families remains at the heart of all we seek to accomplish together. These modifications help Judson Center and Child Safe Michigan have a cohesive visual identity and more clearly represent our programs to the community.
Where Care Is An Art
The initiative to revitalize our logos aligned perfectly with our new marketing campaign titled “Where Care Is An Art”. At the core of our mission is a commitment to the radical idea that unwavering care is something everyone deserves. We truly believe that there is nothing more special than someone receiving the care they need. Still, putting that care into words can be difficult. So, we embarked on a journey to turn 10 stories of care into 10 unique pieces of art. We partnered with local artists to share the stories of our clients and the result is a tangible display of how important genuine care truly is. Throughout 2024, community members will also be able to view our traveling art exhibit, the Museum of Care.
As we prepared for the campaign, we saw an opportunity to enhance the community’s understanding of our services. Members of our community know who we are and respect our history, but struggle to name what we do. To help remedy this, we added a wayfinding element to the new logo and new digital assets. While not an exhaustive list, the wayfinding tool is a quick way for anyone to see what types of services we offer.
Celebrating Our Centennial
Our refreshed logos launched in November just in time for the kickoff of our Centennial year in 2024. As we join with staff, supporters, clients, and community members, we are excited to reflect on the past and look to the future. What an honor it has been to care for so many in our community over the last 100 years. While our logo, tagline, and branding have changed, our mission remains the same. We are here to give unwavering care to all who need it most. It’s been a joy to do so for the last 100 years, and we have no plans of stopping any time soon. So, here’s to the future and to looking our best as we face it together!