Hotline Outer Banks

Hotline approached my team at West Cary Group with an important mission, but a confusing brand identity that wasn't supporting it. As design and art direction lead, I leveraged my branding expertise and emotional connection to the subject matter to craft an identity system that moved our client, who felt we upgraded their brand from a Ford to a Ferrari.

The Team

Creative Direction - Alexis Gayle

Art Direction & Design - Danielle Probst

Copywriting - Lolita Foster

Video Editor - Brian Harrell

Account Management - Julia Daum

An important mission

Hotline Outer Banks is a private nonprofit that provides immediate safety, support, and trusted guidance to anyone experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking in Dare County and the surrounding Outer Banks. Their core offerings include:

24/7 Crisis Response
Emergency Shelter
Advocacy Services
Education & Outreach

Windshield Tour

Before entering the conceptual phase, we got to know hotline. Through a windshield tour, we identified what wasn't working, and what the new identity system needed to solve. The analogy of what the starfish represents was too obscure to resonate, most thinking the brand was beach related. Hotline wanted to be known for empowerment, advocacy and compassionate support. Public perception was far from that.

The Phoenix

The logo mark captures the grace of a phoenix rising. It's an emblem of strength that represents the resilience that emerges when survivors are uplifted, and the empowered ascent that follows. Designed to be both striking and timeless, this symbol set against the glow of the Outer Banks sunrise reinforces Hotline as an unwavering refuge where healing takes flight and your future takes wings.

Color Story

Drawn from the landscapes of the outer banks, these colors tell a powerful story of healing that begins in the local community. At the palette’s core are the nationally recognized colors for domestic violence (purple), sexual assault (teal), and human trafficking (blue). The addition of sunrise brings urgency, and, alongside sand and driftwood ground the cooler tones in the familiar warmth of the location.

Shaping the system

We heard through our windshield tour a need to not only more directly identify what Hotline Outer Banks does, but to bring cohesion to their materials. We provided guidance to used color intentionally to define the look of materials associated with each service. While all brand materials could leverage the full palette, service-specific materials should lean into its identifying color most.

Thrift Stores

Most people who are aware of Hotline know it only through their thrift stores, where proceeds of shopping go directly to the cause. There was an opportunity to activate shoppers as small-scale supporters of the mission. We kicked off that effort by unifying the signage across locations; where previously each store had its own unique identity, they would now be united under one mission.

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Danielle, huge kudos and props on the Hotline work...Taking in and digesting what is extremely sensitive and downright HARD content and then creative beautiful designs that felt super empowering and uplifting without being over the top is (I’m certain) no easy task. Even more so under the crazy timeline you had to do it. So just wanted you to know how beautiful that work is and it’s not lost on me all that went into it outside of just the design work itself...you should be proud of all the things you do here cause you rock, but extra proud of that work.

Jennie Mummert

Vice President, Account Management

Conceptual Phase

If you're intrigued by the process that got us here, take a look at the concepts we presented to the client. Though selection was ultimately unanimous and emotional, the team expressed difficulty making a choice and loved all 3 options.