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 and his 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. We began a collaboration with Yukupin (Toby Bishop), who would create a series of artworks to interconnect with the identity and graphic language.

The idea became identity as we delivered an engaging, fresh and modern design system that better represents IDKY’s mission – as well as their 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.

The logo is an interpretation of symbols used in traditional Aboriginal art – with the ‘D’ representing the adult or elder sharing wisdom and knowledge with younger individuals (the ‘I’). The logo was crafted as a dynamic symbol that can expand to reveal knowledge (be it imagery, copy or moving image) within.

The colour palette draws inspiration from the traditional ochres from Ngunnawal Country (where Isaiah’s mentor Eric Bell is from), as well as colour from Indigenous artwork.

Yukupin’s artwork – and the graphic language that stems from it – was inspired by the three lores of the Butchulla mob that Isaiah often speaks of and actively practices. What is good for the land must come first. Do not take or touch anything that does not belong to you. And if you have plenty, you must share.

The new identity was shared through guidelines and templates across a range of assets so that the refreshed brand could launch in a cohesive and compelling way – and continue to tell its story authentically while making a meaningful difference in the lives of Aboriginal children.