GiveNKind Rebrand: What I Learned From Getting It Wrong (Then Getting It Right)
In 2014, my daughter's choir teacher asked me to design a logo for a new venture. I said absolutely. I love being part of a team that makes a dream come to life.
Emily Petway had an idea: create a nonprofit that connects other nonprofits with the essential products they need. She wanted a logo that would appeal to soccer moms who might be willing to donate extra items for a good cause.
GiveNKind launched in her basement as a part-time venture.
Ten years of growth (and why that required a rebrand)
Fast forward a decade:
First, Emily rented a storage space
Then upgraded to a small warehouse
Now? She operates a 13,000 square foot warehouse with employees and volunteers
And instead of soccer moms donating extra items, they're getting donations from corporations across the United States.
That's not incremental growth—that's transformation.
GiveNKind now provides essential products to Chicagoland nonprofits with help from hundreds of volunteers. They're transforming excess goods into community resources at scale.
When a white delivery truck was donated, they realized it needed branding to become a billboard on wheels. That's when they knew: it was time to rebrand.
The rebrand process (and where I got it wrong)
I'm always grateful when former clients stay connected. When Emily called me back in, we talked through their ideas. The GiveNKind team had done their homework—they'd analyzed their competitors and described the direction they wanted to explore.
Here's where I messed up: I got excited and jumped ahead.
I thought I had it all figured out. I skipped vital exploratory steps. I was designing solutions before I fully understood the problem.
I was wrong.
I needed to slow down, listen to their concerns, and align with their plan.
This is the thing about design that doesn't get talked about enough: beautiful logos may look nice, but if they don't meet the client's needs, they're a failure. The job of a designer isn't to show off—it's to collaborate and solve the problem.
The solution: Evolution, not revolution
Once I slowed down and actually listened, the solution became clear.
We:
Augmented the existing color scheme by adding a darker blue that aligned with their updated website
Kept part of the original circle to maintain brand recognition
Created movement by varying line widths—suggesting flow without being literal about it (no arrows needed)
Products come in, products go out. The logo does a little bit of that, too.
What makes a successful rebrand?
Looking back on this project, here's what I learned:
1. Growth requires visual evolution When your business transforms from a basement startup to a 13,000 sq ft operation serving corporations, your logo needs to reflect that professional evolution.
2. Brand equity matters We didn't throw out the original logo. We kept elements that people recognized (the circle, the general vibe) and refined them.
3. Listen first, design second Even after 20 years of doing this work, I still have to remind myself: the best design comes from truly understanding what the client needs—not what I think looks good.
4. Beautiful isn't enough A logo has to work. It has to represent the brand accurately, reproduce well across all applications (including the side of a delivery truck), and feel right to the people using it every day.
The result
I love the new GiveNKind logo. It's effective, and it looks good too.
If you see their truck around Chicagoland, take note of the incredible work they're doing in our community. And if you have excess goods or want to volunteer, reach out to them—they're always looking for support.
Want to see more rebrand case studies? Browse our portfolio or read about our rebrand process.
Thinking about a rebrand for your growing business? Let's talk about whether it's time.
Email me: aurelie@irisheyesdesign.com | Start a logo project
