“Keep going. To build a better society in America. To be a compassionate America.”
– Reginald F. Lewis.

The goal in establishing the new identity system was to ensure it felt authentic and original for the storied Foundation—the design is classic, not trendy, but elegant and sophisticated. The Propr team captured the significance of the Foundation and Mr. Lewis’s legacy while focusing on the future.

The new identity system features an elegant visual language, with optimized variations on the core identity, firmly and accurately represented, ensuring an authentic representation of the brand’s reputation across a wide range of assets.

The complex but not complicated design system includes:

• A unique and elegant color palette that perfectly embodies the brand’s personality.
• Strong, clean, and memorable typography that is accessible to all
• Logo variations that will ensure proper use and representation of the brand across all media, channels, and future applications
• The flexible and adaptable core brand elements enable the expansion of the design system as the Foundation evolves.
• Establish a past and future legacy through powerful branding. 

Challenge

For over 35 years, RFLF existed with no true brand identity. While helping to improve lives and change the world for the better, the Foundation was ready to look toward the future, get excited, and build a brand identity to:

1. Help the Foundation stay relevant
2. Communicate its mission and values.
3. Attract and excite new supporters. 
4. Solidify their legacy.

Solution

Through deep collaboration with leadership and key members of the Foundation, the Propr team developed a brand strategy to accurately represent a complex, historic, storied, family-run brand. 

Propr created a new identity system aimed at helping the Foundation become more recognizable while being simple and flexible in use and application.

The strong but elegant typography in the logo system will become iconic, designed to feel timeless yet forward-looking. The monogram and alternative logo marks grab and hold your attention, impress your design sensibilities, and these assets feel right at home on everything from corporate letterhead to digital media and high-end merchandise. 

Impact

Our partnership empowered the RFLF team with the resources to be self-sufficient in rolling out, managing, and growing their new identity system. Their communications team and collaborators have the tools, assets, and confidence to do what’s best for the RFLF brand, correctly representing Mr. Lewis, the Foundation, and its ongoing impact. 

Complete brand identity system, design, and production of the 35th-anniversary report for The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, one of the world’s largest and most prominent African-American private foundations.

History of Reginald F. Lewis and the RFLF Foundation.

The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation (RFLF), one of the oldest African-American and Asian private foundations in the world, was founded on July 9, 1987, by the late business pioneer and former CEO of TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc, Mr. Reginald F. Lewis.

Born and raised in East Baltimore, Mr. Lewis worked his way up, step by step, job by job, business by business, to become one of his generation’s most influential corporate executives and dealmakers. A pioneering financier and entrepreneur, Mr. Lewis is often remembered for his fierce intellect, drive, and vision and for breaking racial barriers on Wall Street and across the American business landscape. However, just as importantly, Mr. Lewis was also a visionary philanthropist, patron of the arts, advocate for civil rights, and champion of education and equal opportunity for all.

In 1987, the same year Mr. Lewis led the landmark, billion-dollar acquisition of Beatrice International Foods, he established RFLF, endowed with his money. For Mr. Lewis, doing well meant doing good, and lifting himself to national prominence as a financier also created an obligation to help lift others who never had the same opportunity.