In the two decades since the creation of the Department of Workforce Services, the scope of the department’s work has expanded considerably. Aside from the very 90s vibe of the old Workforce Services logo, it no longer reflected the full range of services provided by the department. DWS commissioned Penna Powers to review research conducted by DWS then lead a branding exercise to identify key insights that would guide the logo redesign and overall branding process. Based on the research findings, the logo redesign creative brief we created and our follow-up discussions with select members of the DWS team, Penna Powers moved forward with a strategy driven by key insights. The goal was to create a new brand that positioned DWS as a mentor to its audiences—the expert who cares, but is also highly skilled with data.

Outside of the state agency, employees and partners didn’t really know who DHRM was or what services they provided. They felt like their brand was part of the problem, saying it felt uninspiring, unprofessional, dated and novice in design. They wanted a modern, updated logo that reflected the organization and professionalism of a much more respected state agency. They also wanted something that would subtly differentiate four secondary services the department offered. Penna Powers created a logo suite featuring the four secondary services as well as a subhead/tagline for each one.

This state agency came to Penna Powers because they felt like their brand was outdated and made them look amateur. They asked us to not only update the Labor Commission’s logo, but to create a brand that would incorporate six divisions. We created a master brand along with subtle changes in the logo to provide individuality that would distinguish each division and fit within the overall brand.

The Utah Housing Corporation serves Utah’s housing needs through finance and innovation. They wanted a unique and highly recognizable logo that would be more appealing, relevant, and better communicate their mission. While the red color of the original logo reflected the red rocks of Utah, they felt that red was not a good color for an organization in the financial industry. Penna Powers combined the Utah image with a roof structure, creating a positive logo and colors that conveyed hope, safety, security and accommodation for the diverse audiences served by the Utah Housing Corporation.