Description:

ID. Know Yourself (IDKY) is an Aboriginal-led charity, founded in 2019 and based on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. They support Aboriginal children living in out-of-home care and within the child protection system, advocating for social change and for breaking the cycle.

IDKY’s visual identity has remained the same since its beginning – even though the needs of the organisation have grown and changed. This meant that there was an opportunity to create a design system with more flexibility, and longevity and better tell the story of who IDKY are and what they stand for. That could strike the right balance between traditional and contemporary – while taking inspiration from IDKY’s founder Isaiah Dawe and his connection to country in authentic ways.

We started with a visual and cultural immersion into Indigenous art – and particularly into Isaiah’s country – to ensure we had the most comprehensive understanding of Indigenous cultural nuances.

The art of storytelling is integral to Indigenous culture and the IDKY brand and we knew that the perspective of a First Nations artist would enrich the next chapter of the brand. This saw us begin collaboration with Yukupin (Toby Bishop) early on in the project – liaising with them to create a series of artworks to interconnect with the identity and graphic language.

From there, we created an engaging, fresh and modern design system that better represents IDKY’s purpose of hope and breaking the cycle for children in and out of home care. The chosen identity includes a new logo, colour palette, typefaces and graphic language, which shares the art of Yukupin in meaningful ways and deepens the brand’s connection to and expression of country.

To look closer into IDKY’s design system is to see inspiration from First Nations culture in all kinds of ways. For colour in particular, this means celebrating the deep connection between First Nations people and the natural land – and sharing in how Australian earth, sea and sky shape Indigenous storytelling.

Drawing inspiration from the ochre tones of Ngunnawal Country – where Isaiah’s mentor Eric Bell is from – adds an extra layer of meaning to the brand’s expression of colour. Mentorship is fundamental to IDKY and how it creates better outcomes for young Aboriginal people.

Having the colours pay respect to Isaiah’s own mentor’s country solidifies the significance of these relationships – and how they can change the lives of Indigenous people for the better.