JOYBOUND

Getting attached.

CHALLENGE

More than 30 years ago, a small group of volunteers came together to create Animal Rescue Foundation aimed at helping cats and dogs in the Bay Area find loving homes. During that time, the organization grew from a small local animal rescue shelter to a nationally recognized leader leveraging the science behind the human-animal bond in their work. They also outgrew their brand. They needed a new name and visual identity that could set them apart in the extremely crowded national pet space while reflecting their optimistic and human-centered approach to animal adoption, care and training.

VALUE

The name Animal Rescue Foundation didn’t represent who they had become. It also wasn’t unique as there are literally hundreds of organizations across the U.S. with the same name. We helped them create a new name and brand that are distinct and ownable, not just in the Bay Area, but nationally too. We also helped build alignment among their staff, volunteers, board members, donors and national partners like Purina by including them in the process —which gave their leadership the support and momentum to completely transform their brand.

SERVICES

Blitz

Strategy & Positioning

Visual Identity

Tagline

Narrative

NAME

‘Rescue’ is a word that’s ubiquitous in the animal adoption space. It conjures up sad images of animals in cages, desperately in need of saving. But sadness isn’t the best motivator for getting a pet. It’s joy. They wanted a name that better represented the true power of the human-animal bond. Rather than focusing on the adoption moment, Joybound speaks to the whole journey — the connection and happiness people and pets bring each other throughout their lives together.

LOGO

Joybound already says a lot. So designing a wordmark logo was a way to keep the focus on this new and really expressive word. And we used subtle design elements to help reinforce the feeling and narrative of the name. The slightly hugged type creates a unique letterform and evokes the shared connection between people and pets. The arched type and extension of the y represent the idea of their journey together.

TAGLINE

Having a pet can be pretty great. Joybound is leveraging the emerging science behind the human-animal bond to explore ways to make it even greater. Their mission is to help people and pets find greater connection, health and joy through a range of innovative programs and services. We turned this intention into a fun and evocative rallying cry, perfect for an animal nonprofit with big ambitions.

“Butler’s expert and heart-centric guidance through our rebrand supercharged our potential for growth. Pets and the people who love them are forever grateful!”

SUSAN LEE VICK, CEO of Joybound

PEOPLE

WORKING HAND-IN-PAW | We traveled to their headquarters in Walnut Creek, CA to gain insights into their operations and collaborate face-to-face with their team — which included executive leaders, dog trainers, volunteers, donors, foster pet parents and even some four-legged friends.