Case Study: Nashville CARES Rebrand

A Transformative Campaign for a Legacy Organization’s Bold Future

Project Role:
Doug Belding – Creative Director
Visual Strategy • Brand Development • Campaign Oversight

Overview

Nashville CARES, a 40-year-old HIV/AIDS service organization, embarked on a bold rebrand to reposition itself as a comprehensive sexual health hub. While preserving its legacy, the initiative aimed to modernize its presence, amplify outreach, and reflect expanded services including a medical clinic, mobile health units, and broader access to STI testing, PrEP, and behavioral health.

I was brought in as Creative Director, responsible for the visual identity, design strategy, campaign planning, and overall creative direction. This case study outlines the strategy, direction, execution, and collaborative impact of this project.

Creative Strategy & Vision

The rebrand needed to:

  • Evolve public perception beyond HIV/AIDS toward holistic sexual health.

  • Be inclusive, stigma-free, and empowering for all identities, particularly Black and brown communities, women, youth, and rural populations.

  • Leverage the 40th anniversary as a cultural milestone and marketing moment.

Our North Star: “Whole-person health, rooted in dignity.”
This informed all design and campaign directions, from the logo to visual storytelling to event planning.

Approach & Direction

  • Rebranding Framework

    Visual Identity Refresh: Created moodboards, color systems, and logo studies that communicated vibrancy, health, and inclusivity.

    Tagline Development: Collaborated on a bold, memorable tagline to represent the expanded mission and energize the brand story.

    Modular System Design: Ensured scalability for PR, social, events, and internal collateral.

  • Strategic Campaign Planning

    Audience Targeting: Defined donor vs. client-facing content while accounting for regional nuances (Clarksville, Mt. Juliet, etc.).

    Messaging Matrix: Partnered with Michael to align tone across campaign tiers: prevention, treatment, community engagement.

    Platform Strategy: Prioritized multi-format storytelling for social (including TikTok), with toolkits for rapid rollout.

  • 40th Anniversary Gala Creative

    Designed the brand experience for the event—stage visuals, honors collateral, social promos, storytelling installations.

    Integrated honorees’ narratives, community partners, and testimonials for a holistic showcase of CARES’ evolution.

Execution

  • Figma Dashboards: I led the creation of shared design boards to unify feedback, house concepts, and streamline cross-functional input.

  • Storytelling Assets: Directed the design and development of testimonial videos, digital profiles, and branded visual graphics.

  • Cross-Team Integration: Partnered with the Social Media Manager and PR team to ensure brand visuals were campaign-ready and aligned with narrative goals.

Reflections

This project wasn’t just about design—it was about empathy, inclusion, and evolution. As Creative Director, I’m proud to have helped visually articulate a new chapter for Nashville CARES—one that honors the past while boldly stepping into the future of sexual health care for all.

Results

  • Brand Cohesion: Delivered a visual identity that bridges legacy with modernity—empowering for clients and credible to donors.

  • Community Alignment: Created culturally competent design that speaks authentically to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ audiences.

  • Campaign Readiness: Positioned Nashville CARES for its upcoming public campaign and gala with a toolkit of flexible, targeted creative.

  • Enhanced Visibility: PR, social, and stakeholder campaigns now share a unified brand story, amplifying reach and reinforcing trust.

Next

Project Two