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Client: Restore The Dream Foundation
Summary: New logo to market a civic activist group website; a pro bono donation of my services
Contents
(1) Background
(2) Designing the logo
(3) Testimonial
(1) Background
In late 2010, I made the acquaintance of Alex Cortes, founder and chairman of Restore The Dream, a recently-formed nonprofit whose first project was “DefundIt.Org,” an activist website that advocated defunding the newly-minted “Affordable Care Act” (aka “ObamaCare”).
We were in agreement that ObamaCare, which forced all citizens — but not illegal aliens — to prove they bought health insurance from an “approved” cartel of companies, or pay a steep penalty, was wildly illegitimate, and anti-Constitutional.
I was extremely impressed with Alex and his ideas, but noted that as shown on the website at the time, there was no real logo for DefundIt.Org; the words were simply text in a box, and if viewed in isolation, no one would have any idea what it was about. See an archive of the site, at this time, here.
I expressed the view that:
- Without a professionally-designed logo, DefundIt.Org might not be as successful as it could be with one, if it were done properly.
- The graphic of President Obama was needlessly antagonistic, served no purpose, and the space devoted to it could be better utilized with a custom logo graphic.
Alex agreed with my views, but explained that as Restore The Dream was just getting started, it had no budget for logo design at that time.
I felt so strongly about the organization, and Alex’s potential regarding it, that I volunteered to do the project pro-bono.
(2) Designing the logo
The first thing I recommended was that they create a unifying symbol that instantly, graphically conveys the principle behind the project, that would serve as both an explanation and a motivating factor. The concept of a torn check, written on the “Taxpayers” account to “ObamaCare,” but signed by Congress, seemed to him to really sum it up:
I then matched this graphic with a stylish, instantly-recognizable type treatment, to form the finished logo, for use on white stationery (below):
For the website, I inserted a toned-down image of the top of the U.S. Constitution in the background:
This was the final result for the DefundIt.Org website:
(3) Testimonial
Alex was thrilled with the result of my work:
“Jon is a tireless patriot with an incredibly creative mind. He kindly offered his services to create a logo for my organization, and I could not be any happier with his final product.”
– Alex Cortes, Founder, DefundIt.org
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March 1, 2011 updates:
1) The activist group Let Freedom Ring has acquired DefundIt.org, and hired Alex Cortes as its (LFR’s) Executive Director.
2) I created a second, initial logo for Alex, to help advance a new project he was getting off the ground, Restore the Dream. See the project profile here.