Clackamas Water Environment Services

After the consolidation of sewer and surface water districts, Clackamas Water Environment Services saw a chance to unify around the mission that drove both agencies: to protect public health, the environment and the region’s economic vitality. They called on Sheepscot to design a new logo and brand, and to deliver strategies, tools and templates for them to launch and run the brand.

BUILDING BRAND AS A COMMUNITY

A highly collaborative, six-month process started with three brand workshops (nearly seventy percent of employees participated) and an online survey distributed company-wide.

A Brand Advisory Team was created. Members represented each of the organization’s locations and departments. They met regularly and provided ongoing input and direction, while serving as liaisons with the staff at large.

Employees raved about Clackamas County's natural beauty; they marveled at all the world-class outdoor opportunities nearby. And they conveyed a deeply held commitment to protect their community's health, not to mention the quality of life that this landscape and climate provides.

Logo

Follow the rain's path to the landscape (in green) and then the rivers (blue). Water getting cleaner as colors transition from dark grey to blue.

Brand guidelines

Facilitating better understanding of the utility’s work and impact among ratepayers, voters and elected officials was a core objective of our work. The brand also needed to fit within Clackamas County’s already-existing graphic framework.

Along with the logo, Sheepscot produced guidelines that will help agency and county staff maintain brand continuity years into the future.

Print templates

ILLUSTRATION

In 2022, Clackamas Water Environment Services called on Sheepscot to produce a bright, colorful illustration demonstrating the interconnectivity of its local watershed in a way that would be fun and engaging for children ages 7-10. 

With input from educators and a panel of WES staff, we designed an illustration of Clackamas county with local landmarks that would be familiar to children and their families. To increase their engagement, we designed a series of activities that invite children to observe, draw, and trace the flow of water throughout the watershed “map.” The highly populated illustration encourages kids to search and discover different animals and vignettes, and an intentional focus on diversity and representation ensures that all children can identify with the characters present in the illustration. 

The illustration and activity sheet will be printed in a large format and will be distributed to children and families through schools, libraries, and community centers. 

PHOTOGRAPHY