MakeFixHack
“Saleem did a wonderful job of reflecting both the functional needs of our business and the values of our stakeholders. We are grateful for the high quality work he did for us.”
Dave Terkanian, Director of MakeFixHack
Role
Logo & Brand Designer
Year
2024
Project
Brand Design
The Client
MakeFixHack Easthampton is a community group for makers, tinkerers, hackers, and crafters, focused on advancing technology through hands-on learning and collaboration, and the development of the maker space.
The Challenge
MakeFixHack’s technical and exclusionary identity created a barrier for growth. To scale into a permanent makerspace, the brand required a versatile system that welcomed all skill levels and felt accessible to the broader community.
The Objective
Architect a professional brand system to foster community trust and drive local momentum. Success was defined by securing the memberships and donations needed to establish a permanent physical hub.
Research
Before designing, I conducted a visual and cultural audit to understand why the existing brand was struggling to reach the wider Easthampton community.
What I did
Community Audit: I identified that the "underground hacker" aesthetic was intimidating to hobbyists and donors who did not identify as highly technical.
Landscape Analysis: I researched the local Easthampton environment to find colors and textures that felt "of the place" rather than digital and clinical.
The Gap: I found a significant misalignment between the organization's inclusive mission and its exclusionary visual language.
The Core Insight
I discovered that the brand was accidentally speaking to experts while trying to recruit beginners. The technical tropes of the original identity were creating a barrier to entry for the very people the organization wanted to attract. The breakthrough was shifting the focus from the tools of the trade to the warmth of the workshop.
"This research highlighted the friction between MakeFixHack’s inclusive mission and its exclusionary visual identity. The resulting system bridges this gap by replacing technical barriers with a design language rooted in community trust."
The Strategic Process
I led stakeholders through a collaborative process to move from abstract ideas to a concrete identity system.
The Discovery
Leading a strategy workshop with a Brand Personality Slider aligned the team. Reaching consensus on a 70% approachable and 30% exclusive split defined a clear visual North Star.
The Ideation
Exploring wordmarks that avoided single-tool icons ensured the brand did not feel exclusionary. This approach created a versatile identity representing diverse maker skills from woodworking to electronics.
The Alignment
Facilitating a structured stakeholder voting process finalized the direction. This ensured the identity was a direct reflection of the community's collective vision and shared values.
The Visual Identity
The resulting comprehensive system serves as a functional tool to bridge the gap between the organization and its supporters.
The Palette
Drawing inspiration from the local Easthampton environment replaces cold, tech-focused tones with earthy warmth. This shift creates an inviting atmosphere that feels grounded in the community rather than an exclusionary digital space.
The Typeface
Pairing a custom, modified logo mark with a playful headline serif and clean sans-serif body text balances character with utility. This hierarchy establishes a professional yet conversational voice across all brand touchpoints.
The Framework
Providing a unified set of brand standards ensures seamless application across both digital and physical platforms. This structure allows the organization to maintain a high level of professionalism as they scale their outreach and physical presence.
Retrospective: What I Learned
Neutralizing the Technical
I learned that in community branding, simplicity is often the best way to signal inclusivity. By removing complex "hacker" tropes, we opened the door for a wider audience.
Stakeholders as Partners
Facilitating the voting process taught me that when stakeholders are involved in the "why," they become stronger advocates for the final "what."
Consistency is Stability
Delivering a clear brand guide was not just about design. It was about giving a small nonprofit the tools to look professional and established as they seek permanent funding.
