Branding & Visual Identity | Web Design & Development
Nā Leo Kāne
Nā Leo Kāne is a state and federally funded community initiative supported by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health. Through education, storytelling, and community engagement, the organization works to prevent domestic and sexual violence while promoting healthy relationships and expanding conversations around masculinity.
Grounded in the principles of the Aloha Spirit Law, Nā Leo Kāne creates opportunities for men to connect, heal, and grow through authentic stories, shared experiences, and community-centered leadership.
As the initiative evolved, its existing brand identity and website no longer reflected the depth, professionalism, or impact of its work. Lifted Creative Studio partnered with Nā Leo Kāne to refresh its visual identity and redesign its website, creating a stronger foundation for outreach, storytelling, and community engagement.
Client
Hawai‘i State Department of Health
Year
2022-2026
Services
Brand Strategy & Positioning
Visual Identity & Guidelines
Creative Consulting & Art Direction
Brand Voice, Messaging, & Copywriting
Responsive Website Development
Photography
The Challenge
Nā Leo Kāne had built a meaningful reputation throughout Hawaiʻi, but its brand and website had not evolved alongside the organization itself.
The existing identity lacked the flexibility and clarity needed to support future growth, while the website made it difficult to communicate the breadth of the initiative’s work and provide clear pathways for community involvement.
The challenge was to create a more contemporary and cohesive presence that could engage a broader audience while remaining authentic to the values, culture, and purpose at the heart of the organization.
Our Approach
Before exploring visual solutions, we worked to better understand the role Nā Leo Kāne plays within Hawaiʻi’s communities.
This was more than a men’s initiative. It was a public health effort focused on fostering healthy relationships, preventing violence, and creating spaces where men could connect through vulnerability, accountability, healing, and shared experience.
The resulting strategy focused on creating a brand that felt welcoming, trustworthy, and modern while honoring the organization’s long-standing community relationships. Throughout the process, special care was taken to create a brand that felt rooted in Hawaiʻi’s values, culture, and communities while remaining accessible to future generations.
This strategic foundation guided both the identity refresh and website redesign, ensuring every touchpoint communicated the mission with greater clarity and confidence.
Brand Identity Refresh
At the heart of the new identity are three concepts central to Nā Leo Kāne’s mission: Strength, Connection, and Healing.
At the heart of the identity is a custom “N” symbol inspired by the ahupuaʻa system, where the mountains, valleys, and ocean are understood as interconnected parts of a larger whole. The mark reflects Nā Leo Kāne’s belief that healthy individuals contribute to healthy families, healthy communities, and ultimately a healthier Hawaiʻi.
The resulting symbol communicates strength through connection rather than isolation, reinforcing the organization’s mission to foster healthy relationships, healing, and community well-being.
Supporting the identity is a flexible visual system built around warm earth tones, energetic golds, and complementary blues and greens. Together, the palette creates a sense of community, optimism, and belonging while providing versatility across digital and print applications.
Custom patterns and graphic elements further extend the system, reinforcing themes of interconnectedness, shared experience, and collective healing.
Deliverables included:
- Brand identity refresh
- Logo redesign
- Color palette and typography system
- Brand standards guide
- Marketing and communication assets
- Environmental and merchandise applications
Website Redesign
The website redesign focused on improving clarity, accessibility, and engagement while creating a more intuitive experience for visitors.
Information architecture was reorganized to better communicate the organization’s mission, resources, programs, and opportunities for involvement. New content pathways were developed to inspire visitors through storytelling while making it easier to connect with the collective and its initiatives.
The resulting website serves as both an educational resource and a platform for community building, helping visitors better understand the organization’s work and find meaningful ways to participate.
Deliverables included:
- Website strategy
- Information architecture
- UX/UI design
- Responsive website design
- Content organization
- Website development
Outcome
The refreshed identity and website established a more cohesive foundation for outreach, storytelling, and community engagement while helping Nā Leo Kāne present itself with greater clarity and credibility across Hawaiʻi.
Together, the new brand system and digital experience provide a stronger platform for storytelling, community engagement, and future growth while helping the initiative connect more effectively with men, families, partners, and communities across Hawaiʻi.
Our Perspective
Organizations evolve. Their brands should evolve with them.
For Nā Leo Kāne, this project was about more than modernizing a logo or redesigning a website. It was an opportunity to help an important Hawaiʻi initiative better communicate its values, strengthen its credibility, and create deeper connections with the people it serves.
By aligning the organization’s identity and digital presence with its mission, Nā Leo Kāne is better equipped to continue fostering healthy relationships, positive masculinity, and community well-being throughout Hawaiʻi.
Testimonial
“We have partnered with Lifted Creative Studio for many years. What I appreciate most is their genuine heart for Nā Leo Kāne, a Hawaii State Department of Health initiative to engage men as allies to prevent domestic and sexual violence. Larry worked closely with us to develop our vision for community outreach. He listened, understood our objectives, and brought our ideas to life with a refreshed logo, website, and social media presence. We couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated, community-focused partner!”
Joanne Higashi, LCSW | Former Hawai‘i State Department of Health Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator