Work:
Children's Discovery Garden Branding
For this branding project we had the opportunity to capture the interest of an audience we don’t normally target: children. The marketing staff at Wegerzyn Gardens was looking for a creative partner to develop a brand that would keep children’s attention throughout the space, and also be informative and educational. WG also wanted to establish a mascot that would serve as the spokesperson for the Garden and would be the personification of the Discovery Garden. WG’s desire was to keep it fun and fresh, while educating children on the unique environment surrounding Dayton, Ohio.
The prairies of Wegerzyn Gardens held the inspiration for the FORGE creative team to find their native- dragonflies! A dragonfly met all the objectives for a potential mascot. And since dragonflies eat mosquitoes, the mascot became affectionately nicknamed Skeeter. Skeeter served as a personified brand spokesperson that tied into the identity, brochures, educational displays, banners, uniforms, and way-finding system of the park. And, most important, kids loved him! This naturally fun brand developed into the brandmark – a combination of an icon, an illustration of Skeeter, and the use of a whimsical typeface for the wordmark.
Client Information
Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark (part of Five Rivers MetroParks in Dayton, Ohio) started operation in 1973. Originally a gift from Mr. Benjamin Wegerzyn to the city, area garden clubs have developed Wegerzyn Gardens (WG). Their aim is to teach people in the Miami Valley about gardening, horticulture, the environment, and urban land stewardship of the RIver Corridor.