The Pittsburgh Foundation Brand

The Pittsburgh Foundation had a lot to say, but its communications didn’t always speak the same language. With a renewed focus on storytelling, the Foundation needed a brand that could bring everything together without distracting from the important work it does.

We built on what people already recognized, cleaning up and strengthening the existing logo to make it bolder and better suited to digital use. A condensed headline typeface — inspired by the Foundation’s renewed interest in storytelling and the visual language of newspapers — gave the identity a distinct voice.

The rethought and redesigned website became our testing ground, giving us room to experiment with the new identity before establishing the rules. We followed with brand guidelines and templates to give staff and external agency partners a shared framework for everything from correspondence and presentations to events and publications.

Our collaboration continued with the quarterly Forum newsletter and the annual Report to the Community. I designed and directed both publications at different points, finding opportunities to push the design in new directions.

As new leadership and a new strategic plan brought fresh priorities, the brand changed with them. To reflect these changes, we refreshed the website and shifted the annual reports from print to digital, finding new ways to reach readers while maintaining a recognizable identity.

More than a decade later, the brand is still going strong — and the stories we’ve told together have helped inspire giving. The identity has carried the Foundation through changes in leadership, strategy, and technology. What started as a graphic refresh has become a long creative partnership — and proof that good design doesn’t have to stand still.

• Brand Strategy and Identity
• Creative Direction and Design
• Digital Strategy and UX
• Front-End Development
• Client Relationships
• Project Management

Created at Landesberg Design