Brand Extension | Campaign Systems | Digital Experience

United Way of Rhode Island

Making Waves Within the Brand

Challenge

UWRI needed to modernize materials and unify touchpoints within strict national brand guidelines. Local pieces felt dated and inconsistent, and digital engagement needed a lift.
Solution

We delivered a brand extension—Making Waves—that honored national standards while elevating local relevance. We also expanded into digital with a HubSpot-powered site and landing pages.
Result

A cohesive, flexible system that powers campaigns, events, and donor engagement, from billboards to youth summits, while staying unmistakably United Way.

Making waves from within

Figmints built a brand extension for United Way of Rhode Island called “Making Waves”. It follows United Way’s national brand standards and adds Rhode Island motifs, including wave graphics and an anchor. Figmints also designed and launched a new website on HubSpot CMS.

Abstract yellow, blue and red graphic with concentric arcs and a sound wave line

Laptop showing the United Way of Rhode Island website homepage with the line Every Rhode Islander, One United Way

What We Did

Figmints delivered a robust brand extension, not a full rebrand. We carefully evolved UWRI’s visual system to reflect Rhode Island’s unique spirit while honoring United Way’s national standards. 

We explored three visual directions that retained core assets but expanded the system with Rhode Island-specific motifs—including a “Mosaic” of diverse community elements and an “Anchored In…” concept tied to local heritage. 

Final Direction – “Making Waves”: Chosen for its powerful symbolism, this concept represented Rhode Island’s coastline, the collective voices in the community, and the broadcast reach of UWRI’s mission.

Young man in a blue and yellow portrait with a sound wave graphic across the bottom

Dynamic wave graphics were created, a Rhode Island anchor motif, and banner layouts adaptable to United Way’s colorways.  Proof-of-concept applications included billboards, swag, business cards, landing pages, and event sub-brands for campaigns like children’s book drives, annual celebrations, and kickoffs. 

We also extended our work into the digital space, designing and launching a new website on HubSpot CMS. This included:

Wireframes, UX recommendations, and technical integrations.
Landing pages tailored for donor acquisition and specific campaigns.
Foundational HubSpot setup to track engagement, automate communications, and support future campaigns.

Something Special: As a Rhode Island agency, this project was personal. We infused local cultural references and visuals that truly resonated with the UWRI team and community. This local insight helped create an authentic brand extension that elevated UWRI’s visibility while staying unmistakably United Way.

Services Included:  Brand Extension, Campaign Systems, Digital Experience.

See more of our work in the education and non-profit industry.

Phone showing a United Way of Rhode Island social post titled Making Waves in Rhode Island

Yellow United Way of Rhode Island ad reading Be a Hero in Your Own Neighborhood beside a smiling man with arms crossed

United Way of Rhode Island color palette with Pantone swatches and hex codes

Red United Way of Rhode Island ad with a smiling young woman and the words Empower Change

Billboard reading Every Rhode Islander, One United Way above four portraits

United Way of Rhode Island business cards, front and back, in blue, red and yellow

Hand holding a blue United Way of Rhode Island tumbler with a gold anchor design

Blue sound wave line graphic on a white background

Pattern of flowing white wave lines on a blue background beside a solid blue panel

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distinct campaign systems designed for flexible future use.
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years of UWRI trust, now visually aligned for new generations.
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cohesive brand extension empowering countless community stories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was “Making Waves”?

The brand extension Figmints created for United Way of Rhode Island. The concept stood for Rhode Island’s coastline, the collective voices in the community, and the broadcast reach of the organization’s mission.

Was this a full rebrand?

No. Figmints delivered a brand extension. It evolved UWRI’s visual system to reflect Rhode Island while honoring United Way’s national standards.

What was built for the website?

A new site on HubSpot CMS, with wireframes, UX recommendations and technical integrations, landing pages for donor acquisition and specific campaigns, and foundational HubSpot setup to track engagement and automate communications.