The Outback Mind Foundation
The Outback Mind Foundation is a grass roots health promotion charity focused on empowering regional men to take a proactive approach to looking after their mental health. When I was first introduced to Aaron - the Founder of The Outback Mind Foundation - his passion for the cause was so evident, and it was a project that I could not turn down. I offered to work with him “pro bono” so that I could help him take his not-for-profit to the next level.
Client
The Outback Mind Foundation
Project
New website launched Sept 2022
Project Brief
When Aaron and I first started working together, he had been shoestringing his operations together. He had an existing CrazyDomains website and a simple brand kit. But, together, they were not helping him achieve the goals he had in mind for his not-for-profit. He was very focused on gaining professional partnerships to support the growth of The Foundation, and he was gaining some traction in regional Queensland, but not yet enough to really make an impact.
He needed a new website that would put the Foundations’ best professional foot forward and attract partner deals. It needed to quickly communicate what The Outback Mind Foundation is about, promote upcoming events and fundraisers, allow people to easily make donations, and be able to promote ongoing partnerships.
Project Goals
✺ Establish a brand identity for The Foundation
✺ Establish trust and credibility with potential partner businesses
✺ Create a professional website that supports the Foundation’s goals
✺ Refresh marketing materials to support ongoing marketing efforts
For this project, I offered to donate my time and create a new Squarespace website for The Outback Mind Foundation free of charge. I am passionate about supporting NFP’s where I can, as well as supporting mental health initiatives, so this was a no-brainer for me.
Before making a start on the new website, Aaron and I spoke about the needs of the Foundation; what he liked and didn’t like about the current website; and his goals for the future. I wanted to ensure that the new website would support those goals. We talked about the look and feel he wanted to portray, his target audience, and what he wanted people to experience when they visited the new website.
I quickly realised that there were no brand foundations in place, and that I would need these for the website refresh. So, that’s where I started:
✺ Using the existing logo and imagery of the Outback as inspiration, I came up with a colour palette that would resonate with men living in regional Australia. Earthy, masculine, and based in nature
✺ I chose a heading and body copy font that are web-friendly and easy to read
✺ I consulted with writer and photographer, Mandy Meesick, who shares stories for, and about, the bush. Mandy helped me to create an imagery palette that would resonate with Australians that live in regional and remote areas
✺ I created a one-page brand kit for Aaron to use, to guide his future marketing activities
It was important that the branding was professional so it would appeal to potential businesses as sponsors of Foundation Partners, but also appeal to the men who live and work in regional Australia. I have since gone on to use this brand kit to inform the website design and supportive materials, such as the below print materials and podcast / event graphics.
The Website
Once the branding was finalised, I moved on to the website build. A lot of new features were added to the Squarespace website, including:
✺ An events calendar to promote upcoming well-being events and fundraisers
✺ A Wellness Toolbox - hub of content to help men keep on top of their mental and physical health
✺ Podcast integration to better promote the latest podcast episodes and get into the ears of more men across Australia
✺ Partnership page to encourage Expressions of Interest from potential business partners, as well as to promote current Partners
The new website is multi-faceted, offering resources and support to the Foundation’s main target audience (regional Australian men), as well as being a promotional tool for the Partner Network, which is an element that is crucial to the growth of the Foundation and the scope of its support.
Since the initial launch of the website in September 2022, we have added new sections and resources to the website, including:
✺ A documentary page to promote documentary trailers and screenings
✺ A donation membership section to allow members of the public to donate regularly and benefit from ongoing mental health resources through their membership
I am proud to still be able to support The Outback Mind Foundation in a pro-bono capacity, offering regular website support and strategic consultation.
