Building a County-Wide Brand System
Overview
I joined Forsyth County's Department of Communications as their first ever dedicated graphic designer. Previously, they had a Communications Coordinator who handled design duties as needed. At the time I joined, the county had recently adopted a new logo. They had a new green logo, but no brand guidelines. Over a few years, I helped transform visual communications across 28 departments by introducing a more structured and consistent approach to branding and design.
What began as a newly created graphic design role evolved into an opportunity to establish standards, improve communication quality, and build internal creative capabilities.
Challenge
The county lacked a brand guide. We had colors from the logo, but not much else to work off of. Also, departments often created materials independently, resulting in inconsistent branding, messaging, and visual quality. The county needed a unified approach that could support a wide range of services while maintaining a professional and recognizable identity.
Approach
Over time, as I was completing my daily design projects, I fine-tuned all the elements of branding, carefully considering the unique needs of each different department. This led to the creation a comprehensive brand and style guide, which was presented in a meeting with stakeholders across the county.
In addition to graphic design, I established internal photography capabilities, reducing reliance on external resources while expanding access to professional imagery and executive headshots.
My Role
• Brand Strategy
• Style Guide Development
• Photography Program Development and Training
• Cross-Department Collaboration
• Design & Creative Services
Results
The work helped create a more cohesive visual identity across county government while establishing creative processes and standards that could scale across dozens of departments and communication needs.
