THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME
A Marine Mammal Care Center Rebrand Case Study
Located on the original grounds of Marineland in Los Angeles, the Marine Mammal Care Center of Los Angeles (MMCC) plays a critical role in marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation. I began volunteering with the organization in 2018, working in-house and gaining a firsthand understanding of its mission and challenges.
By 2019, MMCC was facing significant financial instability and was in urgent need of strategic support.
During a period of leadership transition, including the hiring of new staff, a new President, and a newly formed Board of Directors, I proposed leading a comprehensive rebrand to help reposition the organization and support its recovery. The timing aligned with the organization’s needs, and the proposal was approved.
Serving as a branding and graphic design lead, I reimagined MMCC’s visual identity from strategy through execution.
I collaborated closely with the President and Board to ensure the new brand reflected the organization’s mission, strengthened public trust, and supported fundraising efforts during a critical turnaround period.
One of the primary objectives was to stabilize the organization financially and support a major fundraising initiative.
Through the development of core brand assets and early campaign materials, the rebrand helped lay the foundation for renewed momentum. The collective effort ultimately contributed to MMCC raising over $1 million and successfully emerging from debt.
This experience offered a rare opportunity to help transform a nonprofit at a pivotal moment and to witness how strategic branding, paired with strong leadership and teamwork, can play a meaningful role in organizational recovery and long-term sustainability.
During an early, highly reactive phase, I focused on establishing the organization’s tone and visual direction.
I developed mood boards for two distinct audience segments: one aimed at adults, featuring black-and-white photography and imagery of celebrity supporters, and another designed to engage families and children through brighter colors and playful seal imagery.
Both directions were unified by a Southern California–inspired surfer and sunset aesthetic, while thoughtfully referencing elements of the original logo to maintain continuity with MMCC’s heritage.
With the visual direction established, I led the creation of the organization’s core brand assets, many of which remain in use today. I personally designed the majority of these materials, helping to establish a cohesive visual system that could scale across print, web, and social platforms.
As the organization grew, the brand was transitioned to an internal team for ongoing rollout and stewardship.
Contributing to the recovery and long-term sustainability of such an iconic and essential Los Angeles nonprofit was both a meaningful and rewarding experience
Over time, the brand guide has been refined and updated to support the organization’s evolving needs while maintaining brand consistency.
