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Case Studies

July 16, 2025

How Branding Increased Returning Website Users by 32%

Branding, Nonprofit

Discover how a strategic rebranding for The Arc of Nova built community trust, growing returning users by 32% and direct traffic by 28%.

About Arc of NoVa

BSA’s comprehensive branding services made Arc of NoVa’s brand more distinct and engaging.

The Arc of Northern Virginia has served its community for more than six years, promoting and protecting the human rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). To continue its legacy and connect effectively with more people, the organization needed a clear and distinct brand identity. The Arc of Northern Virginia, recognizing this need, partnered with Blacksmith Agency to forge a new brand identity that would honor its history and resonate with its target audience.

Services Delivered

To help our clients stand out and build authentic connections with their audience, we provide end-to-end branding solutions.

Brand Strategy

Before you can have a great look, you need a great story. We work with you to answer the big questions: Who are you, what makes you special, and how do you communicate it in a way that truly connects with your customers?

Visual Identity Design

This is where your brand comes to life visually. Our creative team will create a complete visual system. This includes everything from your logo and color palette to the style of your photos, creating a professional, cohesive, and memorable look.

UI/UX Design

We translate your new brand identity into a seamless digital experience. We ensure your brand story, message, and visuals are integrated into every part of your site. Our team also works to guarantee that users have a smooth, engaging, and intuitive experience that consistently reflects your core brand values.

The Challenge

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Inconsistent Brand Communications

The lack of a unified brand system led to inconsistent communications across the organization’s many vital programs and platforms. This created a fragmented experience for the community and diluted the overall power and clarity of their brand message.
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Low Brand Recall

The inconsistent brand presentation made it difficult to build a strong brand recall among the public, donors, and stakeholders. As a result, the organization struggled to achieve the top-of-mind awareness necessary to be a go-to resource in its field.
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A Disconnect Between Impact and Presentation

While the organization’s impact on the community was profound, its brand presentation was not. The disconnect meant their branding failed to effectively convey the full scope and importance of their work, limiting their ability to connect powerfully with their audience.

The Solution

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Developed a Brand Narrative and Voice

We developed a brand narrative and a consistent messaging framework that honors the organization’s rich history while speaking to a modern audience. This new brand voice was designed to clearly and empathetically communicate their mission, values, and profound community impact.

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Modern Brand Identity

Our team designed a cohesive and modern visual identity system, including a refreshed logo, an accessible color palette, and professional typography. This created a recognizable and trustworthy look that accurately reflects the importance and scope of their work.

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Brand Guideline

To ensure consistency across all programs and platforms, we integrated the new brand identity across every digital touchpoint. We also created a comprehensive brand guideline document to empower The Arc of Northern Virginia’s team to maintain brand cohesion and memorability long-term.

The Results

Delivering Measurable Impact

Our interventions yielded significant results for the brand.

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+24%

Increase in brand impressions across search and social media

+28%

Growth in new users from direct traffic.

+32%

Increase in returning users.
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Contact Us

Let’s Work Together

Find out if Blacksmith can be a fit for your next digital initiative!

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