The challenge
The Groton Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (GASP) brings together local agencies, parents, teens and community members to address substance abuse among young people in Groton.
Its existing logo communicated an important idea: people coming together in support of one another. But the familiar image of people holding hands in a circle had become dated, and its detailed, multicolored design didn’t translate particularly well to today’s digital applications.
The challenge wasn’t to abandon what the logo represented. It was to find a simpler, more contemporary way to express the same idea.
Our community-based nonprofit was lucky to have Ruzow Graphics work with us on our brand refresh. The entire process was seamless and very easy. After talking on the phone with Nancy about a vision for a new logo for our nonprofit she instantly understood what we were looking for and created images that matched our vision.
— Carolyn Wilson, Senior Health Program Coordinator, Groton Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention
The approach
The idea of support became central to the design.
Rather than relying on imagery associated with substance abuse prevention, we focused on the organization itself: a coalition of people and organizations coming together around a common goal.
The resulting mark uses a series of arrows that rest upon and support one another. Together, they form a star that is always pointing upward.
Each element has its own direction, but none stands alone.
The solution
The new mark gives GASP a distinctive symbol for collaboration, support and forward movement.
Each arrow has its own direction, yet relies on the others to complete the form — reflecting the many individuals and organizations that make up the coalition. Together they create an upward-pointing star that suggests optimism, progress and collective action.
The typography was also updated with a cleaner, more contemporary typeface, giving the organization a stronger and more professional presence. The G incorporates the arrow from the visual to keep the connection when the wordmark lives without the icon.
The original color palette was shifted to warmer tones, providing continuity for the schools, parents, agencies and community members already familiar with GASP.
Simpler works harder
Removing unnecessary detail did more than modernize the identity.
The simplified mark is easier to recognize at small sizes and more adaptable across websites, social media, email signatures, promotional materials, merchandise and community signage.
That flexibility matters. A nonprofit logo doesn’t live in one place anymore. It has to remain recognizable whether it appears on a banner or in a tiny digital space.
The refresh kept what mattered about GASP’s identity while giving the organization a visual system better equipped for how it communicates today.
It’s hard to please everyone with a logo because everyone has a different opinion, but we were able to please everyone with Nancy’s design work. We love our new logo!
