Guiding Star: Transforming NMF's Brand for Modern Healthcare Leadership

Art Direction & Design
Brand Identity

Client: National Medical Fellowships (NMF)

Agency: Do Big Things

Team Role: Lead Designer

National Medical Fellowships (NMF) is disrupting systemic and structural barriers to achieve lasting health equity by providing access to scholarships, mentorship, and career development opportunities to students of color. Our mission was to transform NMF's brand image in a way that respects their 75-year legacy while maintaining a future-forward approach.
Art Direction: Désirée Eien | Animation: Nathan Bayless | Thumbnail: Hayveyah McGowan

Discovery

This two-year project dynamically revamped NMF's brand identity. We began with a series of stakeholder interviews and discovery workshops. Initially, we explored the possibility of renaming the organization, but ultimately NMF decided to move forward with new branding under their original name.

Before & After view of the old logo next to the new oneThree images from brainstorming sessions. One has post-its answering the question of how one might describe the organization to a friend or family member; Answers include 'creating leaders in health care' and 'NMF is a non-profit organization that gives scholarships to medical students'. There are brand sliders positioning the organization as progressive, proactive, energetic, creative and "friendly thought leaders". There are also ideas for visual representations such as organic shapes, layers, snakes, and a heart or heartbeat.Two logo explorations that didn't make the cut. One is based on a heartbeat idea and the other is based on a snake concept.

Identity

My inspiration for the logo came from the North Star, reflecting NMF as thought leaders in the medical field. As NMF have said, "From enslaved people and 'railroad workers' on the Underground Railroad to Hopi and Navajo people to the Chilean Mapuche culture, the North Star has been a symbol of guidance, hope, and freedom for so many. The North Star is the perfect motif to represent NMF in a new era. NMF’s strategic framework outlines a clear mission to dismantle the systemic racism in health care and bring about lasting change and new light and hope to our medical system."

Final logo on blackFinal logo on whitebrand colors laid out in color bars

Impact

NMF's refreshed brand resonated deeply with its audience. The rebranding was not just a visual makeover but a strategic move that aligned the organization's history with a modern, empowering narrative.

Before & After image of an email invitation with the old one on the left and the new one on the rightbusiness card design, front and back
Man wearing a black shirt with NMF logo on the back
Woman wearing a light shirt with NMF logo on the front
Collage of NMF presentation slides
Mockup of an NMF enamel badge
Mockup of NMF badge pins
Mockup of NMF logo on an auditorium screen
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