Rename and Rebrand

I was engaged to assist the organization formerly known as Clifford Beers Housing in rebranding and selecting a new name. Collaborating with Anthemic Agency, we settled on the name Holos Communities, derived from the Greek term for "holistic," reflecting the organization's comprehensive approach to housing development. The objective was to transcend the organization's historical roots and founding identity, broadening the mission scope to encompass not only homelessness and mental health but also solutions for climate change, systemic inequity, and local economic challenges. Alongside Anthemic, I led the trademark process to secure registrations for the new name and logo. The rebranding effort entailed creating fresh collateral such as business cards, promotional materials, merchandise, and office signage to breathe life into the new brand identity.

New Website

A central component of the new identity was a contemporary website designed to spotlight the brand, featuring a high-quality portfolio of a dozen operational buildings, along with projects in the pipeline, including those under construction and conceptual phases. A significant emphasis was placed on quantifying sustainability impact through transparent metrics. Furthermore, the website functioned as a platform for sharing progress and impact stories, showcasing the innovative initiatives underway. This involved gathering and monitoring key metrics across the portfolio. Additionally, I engaged a drone photographer to capture exterior footage of all properties, enhancing the photographic quality throughout the site.

Theory of Change Campaign

Following the completion of the rebrand, my primary marketing initiative became known as the Theory of Change campaign, aimed at addressing the question: “What does Holos mean?” The objective was to simplify and humanize the complex, interconnected issues the team was tackling. Central to this effort were a series of short films produced in collaboration with Kiln Pictures. Each film delved into a different topic the team was focusing on, including sustainability, equity, small business resilience, and housing financing. These films served as an entry point for individuals with varying levels of familiarity with affordable housing, complemented by blog posts authored by staff and board members, offering deeper insights into the subjects.

To visually anchor the campaign, commissioned artwork from local artist Corey Mattie, also known as LA Hope Dealer, was featured prominently across various campaign materials, including fundraising merchandise and a portable mural. The culmination of the campaign was an in-person film screening, accompanied by a panel discussion involving participants, followed by a happy hour gathering for influencers, partners, and potential donors at the Alamo Draft House in Downtown Los Angeles.

Events

As part of the development process, regular events were held at the commencement and completion of each property, notably groundbreaking ceremonies and grand opening celebrations. Each event was meticulously coordinated to spotlight funders, members of the development team, elected officials, and current or prospective residents. I implemented a new planning and organizational process for these events, which involved enlisting an event management team to infuse professionalism into each occasion and alleviate the production workload on the small team at Holos Communities.