BrandDraft
Positioning
The contemporary visual voice of Florida's Deaf community. A statewide Deaf advocacy association, founded in 1917, renewing itself.
The thesis
The Florida Association of the Deaf (FAD) protects and promotes the civil, human and linguistic rights of Deaf, hard-of-hearing, late-deafened and DeafBlind Floridians. It has done so since 1917 and is an affiliate of the National Association of the Deaf.
The identity does not describe a friendly nonprofit. It is the contemporary voice of a community that has been organized for more than a century. The history is an asset; the look should not sound like an archive.
Who we speak to
| Audience | What they need from FAD |
|---|---|
| Deaf adults across Florida | To feel represented, and a reason to join and show up. |
| DeafBlind and hard-of-hearing members | Access that works for them by default, not on request. |
| Late-deafened Floridians | A welcoming way in, with community and language resources. |
| Families and younger generations | Programs and events that carry the culture forward. |
| Interpreters and allies | A clear way to support, led by Deaf people. |
Objectives
- Grow membership.
- Increase awareness and participation across Florida.
- Strengthen advocacy.
- Create greater connection around events and community programming.
- Give Deaf Floridians an organization in which they feel represented.
Positioning principles
Deaf-led
Interpreters and allies are part of the audience. They are never the visual center.
Culture, not disability
Deafness is framed as a culture and a language, not as loss or assistance.
Advocacy-forward, not institutional
Energetic and direct. Warm, and still authoritative.
Florida-rooted, not Florida-themed
The state is felt in light, architecture and place, not in outlines, palms or sunsets.
Perception and response
| Perception | |
|---|---|
| Today | Stale, with little presence. |
| Desired | Warm, welcoming, energetic, proud, advocacy-driven, contemporary, credible. |
| Response we want | "This represents people like me. I want to be part of it." |
The landscape
| Organization | Territory | FAD's difference |
|---|---|---|
| Deaf Florida | Events, belonging, celebration. | FAD's record is statewide advocacy since 1917. |
| Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf | The interpreting profession. | Deaf-led. Not a professional association for interpreters. |
| Florida DeafBlind Association | DeafBlind Floridians: advocacy, autonomy, access. | Partner, not competitor. FAD's mission includes DeafBlind members. |
| State coordinating council and health agencies | Services and access administration. | FAD speaks for the community rather than administering services. |
| National Association of the Deaf | The national federation FAD belongs to. | Florida's own voice. Same values, its own look. |