Copper River Native Association
Branding & Corporate Communications
Copper River Native Association (CRNA) is the vision of young forward-thinking Alaska Natives. Inspired by their cultural values, they created an organization to provide life-enhancing resources for the people of the Copper River basin. From child development programs to elder services to medical, dental, and behavioral health care for all, CRNA promises to empower their residents to thrive.
CRNA worked internally to develop a Promise Statement to unite both employees and those in the region. This Promise Statement coincided with a declaration to also expand their services to better serve their residents. They wanted to communicate the Promise and share more about who they are and what services they offer, now and in the future. With lifelong and community wellness in mind, CRNA needed to communicate with audiences across the lifespan, from young families with infants and toddlers to honored elders, and speak to both Alaska Natives and non-Native residents of the community.
Creative Strategy
Using our strategic branding method, Walsh|Sheppard embarked on a journey to understand CRNA, their goals, and their values. Our task was to honor CRNA’s history, respecting the past, while inspiring hope for the future. During our process, we learned that the land and natural elements were significant and symbolic to CRNA and their audiences: regional mountains and their steady, prominent features represented stability; the river represented survival and vitality; and Copper River salmon, with their arduous journey from the ocean to their natal spawning ground, represented the robust, tenacious, and resilient people of the Copper River basin. We incorporated the regional mountains and the river into the new CRNA logo to represent the foundation, consistency, and life-giving resources they provide to their residents, and demonstrated the fortitude of their people with salmon swimming upstream. A website documents both the rich history of the organization as well as outlining services and providing essential resources like forms and phone numbers.
CRNA has a beautiful new look and feel that supports their relationships with residents of the Copper River region, is helping to recruit employees, and the organization has seen increased engagement in their services.
2018 Annual Report
Copper River Native Association wanted to unveil its new comprehensive model of health care in its annual report. The report needed to communicate how this model of care delivery was unique: in addition to being comprehensive, it focused on the ebbs and flows, or the path, of one’s life and health. The goal was to communicate that CRNA is a partner throughout the path of life, and despite your past, the future is a good trail.
Walsh|Sheppard designed, wrote and edited copy for, and completed the layout for CRNA’s 2018 annual report.
CRNA Board of Directors and residents of the Copper River Valley Region, including all Ahtna shareholders.
Results
The annual report design garnered positive feedback during CRNA’s annual meeting in May 2018. The design will serve as a foundation of the Tene Ugheli model of care.