We set a new standard
for Tribal governments everywhere.
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians have been stewards of the Golden State long before it was even called California. However, conveying this to the public wasn’t easy, especially with a lack of brand guidelines and a decade-old website.
EFM partnered with San Manuel to design a modern brand identity and intuitive website that honored their history while looking to the future. By bringing the Tribe’s stories and sacred values to the forefront, we raised the bar for how Tribal governments communicate with modern audiences near and far.
Services
Content Audit, Brand Identity, Digital Assets, UX Design, UI Design, Web & Digital Design
Shaping a united vision.
As San Manuel’s leadership role continues to evolve in education, health, civil services, economic and cultural development, it’s important their growing team has the tools to keep up. But without clear guidelines in place, they were struggling to communicate effectively with each other and the outside world.
After evaluating their existing materials, we produced a brand book that serves as an all-encompassing resource for both messaging and visual storytelling. We also refreshed the brand aesthetic to represent the Tribe’s sacred land and culture. Now, the San Manuel team has definitive direction for sharing a more cohesive, authentic, and engaging brand narrative across all channels.
As San Manuel’s leadership role continues to evolve in education, health, civil services, economic and cultural development, it’s important their growing team has the tools to keep up. But without clear guidelines in place, they were struggling to communicate effectively with each other and the outside world.
After evaluating their existing materials, we produced a brand book that serves as an all-encompassing resource for both messaging and visual storytelling. We also refreshed the brand aesthetic to represent the Tribe’s sacred land and culture. Now, the San Manuel team has definitive direction for sharing a more cohesive, authentic, and engaging brand narrative across all channels.
Shaping a united vision.
A modern website for a historic legacy.
Although the history of San Manuel dates back hundreds of years, they needed to establish a digital presence for today’s audiences. Their existing website was full of text-heavy pages that were difficult to navigate on mobile devices. It’s no surprise visitors had a hard time connecting to the Tribe’s stories and resources online.
After our strategy team audited the existing website, we set out to rebuild the content architecture and provide a seamless navigation flow for various audiences. The substantial amount of content meant we needed to redesign their website on an entirely new platform—one that could deliver a simplified approach to managing and updating content at scale.
Refining information about San Manuel’s community, philanthropy, and business ventures gave us the framework to craft a more user-friendly experience. The new website isn’t just a vehicle for informing audiences about who they are and what they do—it sets a higher bar for Tribal websites everywhere.
Honoring the land and everything it provides has been one of San Manuel’s highest held values for generations. Because of this, it was important to incorporate authentic imagery in the Tribe’s branded content instead of relying on stock photography.
However, high-quality imagery of their native territory was in short supply. We coordinated photoshoots with our partners and San Manuel’s leadership to capture the breathtaking beauty of their indigenous land.
Our team handled all logistics involved to scout locations, plan, and execute the shot list. Over a 3-day camping trip, our partners photographed everything from sunrises to night skies, lush mountains to desert scenery, and foliage across the land. Ultimately, we delivered a library of custom assets that gives San Manuel imagery to use across their website, campaigns, social channels, and more.
Imagery that honors sacred land.
Imagery that honors sacred land.
Honoring the land and everything it provides has been one of San Manuel’s highest held values for generations. Because of this, it was important to incorporate authentic imagery in the Tribe’s branded content instead of relying on stock photography.
However, high-quality imagery of their native territory was in short supply. We coordinated photoshoots with our partners and San Manuel’s leadership to capture the breathtaking beauty of their indigenous land.
Our team handled all logistics involved to scout locations, plan, and execute the shot list. Over a 3-day camping trip, our partners photographed everything from sunrises to night skies, lush mountains to desert scenery, and foliage across the land. Ultimately, we delivered a library of custom assets that gives San Manuel imagery to use across their website, campaigns, social channels, and more.
Cultivating a lasting partnership.
The successful launch of San Manuel’s new brand identity and website solidified our partnership for further collaboration. Without a Creative Director on their team, we’ve stepped up to lead campaigns that champion San Manuel’s values. We continue to provide our ongoing expertise through strategic workshops, art direction, and content recommendations.
As San Manuel’s go-to creative partner, EFM guides everything from brand strategy to design. All while advancing the Tribe’s goals and initiatives to do good for communities in their indigenous territory and beyond. Today, the Tribe’s rich history and vision for the future resonates with the general public, government agencies, and Tribal citizens like never before.
