Backyard Buddies
Creating a friendly visual identity to increase awareness and adoption of outdoor cats
Overview
When Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society renamed its barn cat adoption program to Backyard Buddies, the organization needed approachable marketing materials that explained the program and encouraged more adoptions. I developed the visual identity for the initiative, including a custom website illustration and an informational rack card that introduced the program to potential adopters.
An educational rack card introducing the newly branded Backyard Buddies adoption program.
The Challenge
Many people assumed barn cats were only suitable for farms, causing independent outdoor cats to be overlooked in shelters. The materials needed to clearly communicate that these cats could thrive in ordinary backyards while presenting the program in a warm, welcoming way.
A custom illustration created for the GMHS website, reinforcing the program's friendly identity and helping visualize the idea of outdoor companion cats in a suburban backyard
The Solution
I created a calming visual style built around soft greens and purples inspired by gardens rather than traditional "barn" imagery. The rack card balances educational information with inviting photography and clear visual hierarchy, while the accompanying website illustration reinforces the Backyard Buddies name through a simple scene of cats exploring a suburban yard. Together, the print and digital pieces gave the program a cohesive identity that felt accessible, informative, and friendly.
Information was rewritten and reorganized into a clear visual hierarchy that balances education, adoption guidelines, and imagery
Reflection
This project strengthened my understanding of layout, typography, and visual hierarchy while reinforcing the importance of designing educational materials that are both attractive and easy to understand. Looking back, I would simplify the typography on the rack card by reducing the number of typefaces, but I'm still proud of how the campaign combined illustration, branding, and print design into a cohesive experience.