Reframing Rice as an Ecosystem
For decades, the California Rice Commission represented growers and advocated for one of the state’s most important crops. But the story had grown.
California rice fields had become critical wildlife habitat, supporting migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway and sustaining entire ecosystems. The mission had expanded. The brand had not. The opportunity was not simply to redesign a logo, but to reposition rice itself.
Client
California Rice Commission
Role
Creative & Art Director
Services
Brand positioning
Brand messaging
Brand identity & guidelines
Website design
Business system
Crafting a more inclusive story
The Commission stood at an inflection point.
Internally, the mission had expanded. Externally, perception had not.
The organization needed to speak to multiple audiences at once:
1
Growers who valued heritage and advocacy
2
Environmental partners focused on conservation
3
Policymakers and the public seeking sustainability leadership
The question became, how do you honor agricultural legacy while expanding the narrative to include environmental stewardship?
Or more importantly:
How do you shift from “rice as a crop” to “rice as an ecosystem”?
Defining the narrative
Before visuals, we focused on language.
Through messaging workshops, we uncovered a simple but powerful truth: rice farming in California is inseparable from wildlife preservation. Growers are not just producers. They are stewards.
The narrative evolved accordingly.
The Commission would lead with its stewardship of land and water, highlight the partnership between agriculture and wildlife, reinforce its leadership in sustainable farming, and ground everything in pride for California’s agricultural heritage. This reframed story became the backbone of the brand.
With the narrative clarified, visual exploration began. We looked to the landscape itself for inspiration, drawing from a natural aesthetic that felt expressive rather than institutional. Mural influences and painterly, artistic elements informed early studies, allowing the brand to feel grounded yet contemporary. The goal was to create something organic and human, reflective of both working farmland and living habitat.
Visualizing harmony
Stylescapes were developed to allow quick exploration and establish a visual direction early.
Initial logo concepts
Concepts that capture the balance
From there, logo concepting became a process of pressure testing ideas against the narrative. Could a mark communicate both agriculture and ecosystem without becoming overly complicated? Could it feel established without feeling dated? We explored a range of directions that pushed abstraction, movement, and symbolism, evaluating each against the core message of interconnection. The strongest concepts were those that felt balanced, holding crop and wildlife in the same space.
Once the identity direction was selected, we expanded the system. Photography, color palettes, textures, and pattern work were developed to reinforce the relationship between land, water, and wildlife. Every element was designed to support the messaging framework, not compete with it. These components were unified within a comprehensive brand guide that outlined not only how the brand looks, but how it speaks. The result was a cohesive system designed for consistency, clarity, and long-term stewardship.
Our brand has never felt stronger and more connected to our mission. From start to finish we could tell we were in good hands.
Tim Johnson
President & CEO, California Rice Commission
From identity to experience
With the updated brand and messaging in place, we brought it all to life through a modern, refreshed website that tells the full story of the California Rice Commission. The new site strikes a thoughtful balance between the organization’s agricultural roots and its environmental mission, making space for both without overwhelming the user. Clear navigation, streamlined content, and purposeful design work together to simplify the user journey while showcasing the depth, impact, and values at the heart of the Commission’s work.
A broader definition of value
The result is a brand that reflects who the California Rice Commission is today. An advocate for growers. A steward of habitat. A leader at the intersection of agriculture and conservation. By expanding the narrative, the Commission is now positioned to speak with clarity and credibility across audiences, broadening both perception and impact.
Why this project matters to me
Branding has the power to shift narratives, not just aesthetics.
The California Rice Commission was already doing meaningful work at when it came to farming and habitat preservation. The challenge was helping the brand catch up to that reality.
Projects like this matter because they redefine value. They expand how industries are perceived. And they position organizations to lead conversations, not just participate in them. That is the kind of strategic brand work I aim to do.
