Embassy After Next: OBO Brand Journey

After a new Director of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operation (OBO) was appointed in 2018, a rebrand was in order to reflect the new direction. Knot developed a close-knit relationship with the OBO team to understand the organization’s complex and intertwined needs across multiple departments and stakeholders. Knot’s comprehensive approach to this brand refresh was based on a deep understanding of OBO’s leadership goals, mission, and vision, and included an analysis of OBO’s various stakeholders and audiences.

Knot helped tease out a unified OBO voice and personality, including a new tagline “Lead the Way/Set the Pace,” that remained in line with the Department of State’s mission. A clean, polished, and minimal visual language was developed to provide consistency throughout all communication materials. Once a cohesive and distinguished brand was established, Knot went to work executing a broad variety of elements including marketing collateral, materials for recruiting and events, and a suite of digital assets. The final deliverable was a comprehensive OBO “Brand Journey” document, tackled with forethought and consideration of the sensitivity required when handling governmental communications.