ChildFund began in 1938 in Richmond, VA. Founded by Dr. J. Calvitt Clarke, it was originally called China’s Children Fund (CCF), and was created to help children displaced by the second Sino-Japanese War. The “child sponsorship” concept we know today stemmed from Dr. Clarke’s vision: one sponsor donates one amount to help one child.

The organization’s work quickly expanded to helping children around the world, and its focus shifted to addressing the devastating impact of poverty on children’s lives and communities. In 1951, the name was changed to Christian Children’s Fund, and by the 1960’s CCF was assisting over 36,000 children in 50 countries. In 1985, more than 325,000 children were sponsored by CCF. Today, the organization reaches over 15 million children and family members in 31 countries.

Recognizing that the complex and multiple challenges now facing children around the world requires a globe-spanning organization that can substantially impact the lives of children in need, CCF became a founding partner of the ChildFund Alliance, comprised of 12 like-minded international children’s organizations.

In 2009, CCF became ChildFund International.  As part of its rebranding initiative, J H I was asked to write and design a six panel brochure that could effectively communicate the organization’s 5 Year Strategy to a wide range of stakeholders, in multiple languages, and in countries around the world. The resulting piece, “Positive Outcomes, Lasting Change” recently received a First Place award in the Virginia Press Women’s 2010 communication contest, and will advance to the National Federation of Press Women contest.

It’s always nice to win awards. But it’s even better to be a part of changing the world.

Needless to say, technology has changed the landscape of marketing and design. We’ve all had to re-evaluate existing brands and rethink new ones, beyond print, beyond web, and beyond social media. So when Jo brought in a great article about Google’s brand last week it really got me thinking. Their logo, which is fairly unremarkable in itself from a design standpoint, has completely bucked brand tradition. Last year, Aol jumped on board and rebranded with a logo that not only changes color, but also changes texture and imagery. So what, or who, is next? All of this was fresh in my mind when I came across this article that uses squid (of all things) to bring up some really interesting ideas on the future of branding and marketing. Good food for thought!

]]> http://jhigoodidea.com/theblog/good-ideas-good-thinking/feed 0 http://jhigoodidea.com/theblog/happy-holidays-from-j-h-i http://jhigoodidea.com/theblog/happy-holidays-from-j-h-i#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:19:51 +0000 Carter http://jhigoodidea.com/theblog/?p=782

There are 2 things in life that I love above all others: new people and accessories. A few weeks ago, J H I got one of each! Stephanie recently graduated from VCU in graphic design. She also spent a semester studying architecture in Copenhagen which means she speaks Danish. That adds one more language to the J H I repertoire, bringing the grand total to 4 different languages! She is also a great asset as a talented designer and a very hard worker.

The long-awaited RMCVB shopping bags arrived the very same week as Stephanie did and she jumped right in and helped us show off the fun Virginia-themed illustration. The bags are stylish and fun and a great way to promote the Richmond Region!

I can’t wait until summer. Festivals, swimming, and sunshine all make this my favorite season. This summer, there’s something else to look forward to! At the end of May, a new store will be opening in Mathews, Virginia. Real Goods will focus on small batch Virginia products, promising “exceptional foods from local sources.” The owners, Rosemary Griffith and Rob Acosta-Lewis, have traveled all over the state looking for growers and artisans whose wares (and stories) remind us how diverse Virginia is. Everything from fresh flowers, to microbrews, from bread to soaps and lotions will be sold in the sunny yellow shop on Main Street. I can’t wait to stop in this summer!

I love living in a city with so many wonderful events. During the spring, summer and fall it seems that there is something to look forward to every weekend. We have the Richmond Folk Festival, Friday Cheers, the upcoming Monument Avenue 10k and dozens more. This year, we have one more! Our friends over at Venture Richmond have been helping to plan a new, action-packed festival. Dominion Riverrock (sponsored in part by our client, RVA Construction) will celebrate Richmond’s unique riverside culture. According to the website:

Dominion Riverrock unites the community through a unique mix of sports, music and fun, set against the backdrop of Richmond’s downtown riverfront. The party begins on Friday with a live performance by Rusted Root…a Mud Run…and an acrobatic freestyle bike competition. Then, join in the fun Saturday as athletes from around the region square off in high-adrenaline activities both in and around the river—like the James River Scramble trail run, mountain biking, kayaking and much more. With additional musical performances, spectator water sports like the highflying water dogs, food, exhibits, a downtown Bar Crawl and more, Dominion Riverrock is sure to make a splash as Richmond’s premier river event.

Visit their website for more information! We hope to see everyone there!

We designers are always looking for new ways to present information. We scour the internet looking for graphics that are beautiful, effective and, most importantly, compelling. So imagine my delight at finding Toby Ng Kwong To’s “The World of 100.” His posters combine elegant illustrations with some surprising information. It’s also a great way to gain some perspective! Enjoy!

The former conference space is now a lounge.

The new conference space is in the front of the building, looking out onto Monument Avenue.

Above the conference table is a beautiful le klint pendant lamp from hive.

John and Christen’s offices have also moved up front.

It’s even better in person. Stop by and say hi if you’re in the neighborhood!

The Dandy Warhols: Bohemian Like You