United Friends of the Children
Fostering a fresh perspective for a storied organization.
A United Digital Front.
For over 40 years, United Friends of the Children has supported transition-age foster youth in Los Angeles County through their outstanding education and housing programs. In 2019, Brand Knew partnered with United Friends to enhance their digital presence and infuse new energy into an already established and powerful mission.
Over the last many years, we have developed a cohesive brand aesthetic across all platforms, redesigned the website, and implemented an audience-first email strategy and lead generation campaign. Since partnering with Brand Knew, the organization has grown its combined digital footprint to 51,610 digital advocates connected to the mission, a 529% increase.. We have also helped create a more engaged social audience with a 1,220%+ increase in engagements across all social channels. Website traffic and total views have surged by 129%. Just as crucially, lead generation efforts have brought in over 4,000 new email subscribers, building a deeper base of long-term supporters and future donors.
A United Digital Front.
For over 40 years, United Friends of the Children has supported transition-age foster youth in Los Angeles County through their outstanding education and housing programs. In 2019, Brand Knew partnered with United Friends to enhance their digital presence and infuse new energy into an already established and powerful mission.
Over the last many years, we have developed a cohesive brand aesthetic across all platforms, redesigned the website, and implemented an audience-first email strategy and lead generation campaign. Since partnering with Brand Knew, the organization has grown its combined digital footprint to 51,610 digital advocates connected to the mission, a 529% increase.. We have also helped create a more engaged social audience with a 1,220%+ increase in engagements across all social channels. Website traffic and total views have surged by 129%. Just as crucially, lead generation efforts have brought in over 4,000 new email subscribers, building a deeper base of long-term supporters and future donors.
Fresh Looks for a Lasting Legacy.
To establish greater visual brand cohesion for the next phase of United Friends’ growth, Brand Knew developed a brand expression guide to streamline the look and feel of the brand across digital platforms. We crafted a visual identity that reflects the organization’s history, while appealing to a younger, broader audience, balancing approachability with a sense of maturity and purpose.
The refreshed visual identity is eye-catching and fun, bold yet nostalgic, carrying forward the organization’s legacy and its youth-focused mission. This updated look is the foundational visual narrative that drives everything from social graphics to merchandise collections, including both evergreen designs and timely product drops that support fundraising efforts.
Fostering Equity, Empathy, and Engagement.
United Friends has long served as both a support system and a trusted resource hub for marginalized communities navigating periods of uncertainty. During a time of escalating fear and confusion around immigration policy and access to essential resources, Brand Knew supported the development and distribution of digital content to provide clarity and aid for impacted groups, including foster youth, LGBTQ+ youth, and immigrant families. United Friends positioned itself as a central source for timely, vetted information, reinforcing its role as a trusted advocate when it was needed most.
In tandem, Brand Knew developed a content strategy that emphasized real-world stories of foster youth, reflections on racial and social inequity, and uplifting highlights from within United Friends’ programs. When national conversations around social justice took center stage, Brand Knew supported United Friends in responding authentically, elevating the voices of foster youth of color and reinforcing the organization’s place in the broader equity movement. These efforts helped United Friends grow their social impressions by 868% in a single year, a reflection of both reach and impact.
From Feed to Foster Futures: Social Insights Turned Into Lasting Impact.
Leveraging insights gathered from organic efforts across social, Brand Knew developed a paid media strategy and funnel to expand United Friends’ email database, a primary driver of the organization’s fundraising program.
The funnel exposed new audiences to powerful statistics and personal success stories, then nurtured interest through program-focused video content, before prompting them to subscribe to the monthly newsletter. These efforts have brought in over 4,000 new valuable subscribers.
With this influx of new supporters, Brand Knew stepped in to optimize United Friends’ entire email infrastructure. This included designing custom templates, segmenting audience lists, launching welcome flows, and creating monthly content strategies aligned with social performance. Each message was tailored to speak directly to key audience segments and drive action. The new welcome series now boasts a 22.6% open rate, outperforming the industry average by 13%.
From Feed to Foster Futures: Social Insights Turned Into Lasting Impact.
Leveraging insights gathered from organic efforts across social, Brand Knew developed a paid media strategy and funnel to expand United Friends’ email database, a primary driver of the organization’s fundraising program.
The funnel exposed new audiences to powerful statistics and personal success stories, then nurtured interest through program-focused video content, before prompting them to subscribe to the monthly newsletter. These efforts have brought in over 4,000 new valuable subscribers.
With this influx of new supporters, Brand Knew stepped in to optimize United Friends’ entire email infrastructure. This included designing custom templates, segmenting audience lists, launching welcome flows, and creating monthly content strategies aligned with social performance. Each message was tailored to speak directly to key audience segments and drive action. The new welcome series now boasts a 22.6% open rate, outperforming the industry average by 13%.
Guiding Every Click With Care.
Brand Knew also led the redesign of United Friends’ website, transforming outdated and hard-to-navigate pages into an intuitive, mobile-optimized experience. High-traffic areas like the homepage and donation pages were rebuilt with performance and clarity in mind, resulting in a 55.4% increase in average time spent on the Donate page. More recently, Brand Knew has supported the optimization of campaign and event-specific pages to ensure all user touchpoints, from interest to action, are seamless and brand-aligned.
A Critically Creative COVID-19 Response.
When the COVID-19 pandemic halted in-person events, Brand Knew helped United Friends pivot quickly and successfully to digital fundraising. We supported the execution of two major virtual events: a livestream with ambassador Jordan Fisher that raised $80,000 in just seven hours, and a star-powered Virtual Gala featuring Tiffany Haddish, Seal, Mandy Moore, and others, which exceeded traditional gala fundraising benchmarks. These early virtual wins laid the foundation for a lasting digital strategy and reinforced the power of storytelling, even in a remote-first world.
A Critically Creative COVID-19 Response.
When the COVID-19 pandemic halted in-person events, Brand Knew helped United Friends pivot quickly and successfully to digital fundraising. We supported the execution of two major virtual events: a livestream with ambassador Jordan Fisher that raised $80,000 in just seven hours, and a star-powered Virtual Gala featuring Tiffany Haddish, Seal, Mandy Moore, and others, which exceeded traditional gala fundraising benchmarks. These early virtual wins laid the foundation for a lasting digital strategy and reinforced the power of storytelling, even in a remote-first world.
Capturing the Moments That Matter.
United Friends’ campaigns and partnerships continue to grow, and Brand Knew’s role has expanded to support them both online and in person. With the shift to video-led social strategies, we introduced regular media days to capture employee-generated content, along with short-form vertical videos filmed at key events. This represents a major leap forward, from zero video content, to a powerful video-first content strategy.
Brand Knew attends major moments like the 2025 Graduation and annual Gala, providing on-site videography, live social coverage, design support, and event-focused emails. Several team members have even stepped in as volunteers, strengthening the connection between our creative efforts and United Friends’ mission.
Each year, Brand Knew partners with United Friends to produce a signature About Us video that brings the organization’s mission to life through the voices of those it impacts most. From foster youth and program alumni to staff, mentors, and donors, the video showcases a powerful mosaic of lived experience, hope, and community.
Filmed annually and used across multiple platforms, from the website homepage to social media and gala events, the video serves as a cornerstone of United Friends’ brand storytelling. Brand Knew leads on-the-ground production, editing, and delivery, ensuring that every voice is honored and every story reflects the organization’s core values. Watch the full video here.
Merch With a Mission.
Brand Knew recently led the launch of United Friends’ first-ever merchandise line, creating a fresh channel for both awareness and fundraising. The goal was to introduce the brand to younger audiences, while opening up a new revenue stream. From creative concepting, to final designs, Brand Knew guided every step of the process, designing a mix of timely and evergreen pieces inspired by events like graduation, with plans to release four themed collections annually.
The evergreen collection reimagines the UFC logo in bold, modern ways, offering pieces that speak to the organization’s identity, while remaining visually fresh. Anchored by an organic social strategy, and enhanced through a paid one, with purchases made through a custom webstore linked directly from the UFC website, fans and supporters can now rep their commitment to foster youth proudly. The result is more than just apparel; it’s a conversation starter, a statement of solidarity, and a steady stream of support for United Friends’ work.
Merch With a Mission.
Brand Knew recently led the launch of United Friends’ first-ever merchandise line, creating a fresh channel for both awareness and fundraising. The goal was to introduce the brand to younger audiences, while opening up a new revenue stream. From creative concepting, to final designs, Brand Knew guided every step of the process, designing a mix of timely and evergreen pieces inspired by events like graduation, with plans to release four themed collections annually.
The evergreen collection reimagines the UFC logo in bold, modern ways, offering pieces that speak to the organization’s identity, while remaining visually fresh. Anchored by an organic social strategy, and enhanced through a paid one, with purchases made through a custom webstore linked directly from the UFC website, fans and supporters can now rep their commitment to foster youth proudly. The result is more than just apparel; it’s a conversation starter, a statement of solidarity, and a steady stream of support for United Friends’ work.
Empowered to Make an Impact.
With Brand Knew’s partnership, United Friends of the Children has evolved from a mission-driven nonprofit to a digitally empowered brand. From growing its social presence, to building a strong donor pipeline, to creating unforgettable moments with youth and supporters, the organization has even greater tools to match its impact. As the community continues to grow, so does the mission, and United Friends is more ready than ever to lead the way.
