We recently published Dare to Be Blue, which celebrates Blue Daring’s first 20 years of business. The 160-page monograph follows our journey from a one-person shop to an established branding and strategy partner to organizations around the world. It’s full of inspiration, insights and plenty of fun images.

To wrap up our first year of We’re Doing Good, designers Laura and Chris teamed up to donate to Chicagoland Dog Rescue. This volunteer-based rescue is dedicated to finding fur-ever homes for dogs of any breed, size or age. The money will be used to provide medical care and new equipment for the rescue.

Welcome Maria Elena (Elena), our new Events + Engagement Manager. She brings our partners over ten years of experiential marketing. With a knack for data-informed strategy and holistic thinking, Maria Elena promises to bring our clients’ events to the next level.

On March 31, 2026, we attended Chicago United’s Annual Meeting, where we received their Most Valuable Partner Award for our work evolving the organization’s brand position and messaging. In addition to the award, Melissa delivered a keynote sharing the process.

Riley and Valentina also chose to partner on We’re Doing Good, directing their giving to Chicago Community Jail Support, a project that supports people released from Cook County Jail. CCJS will use the funds to provide essential support, including warm clothing, meals, PPE, transportation and emergency housing.

Designers Kyle and Pete teamed up for We’re Doing Good to double their giving—and it’s only fitting the two chose an art-focused organization! The WasteShed collects reusable art and school supplies that otherwise would be thrown away, providing them to teachers and artists at low or no cost.

In 2024, we officially launched We’re Doing Good, Blue Daring’s charitable giving initiative that empowers each team member to direct company funds to a local cause of their choice. Genevieve and David were the first team members to make their donations, choosing a local food pantry and a cat rescue program. Follow along throughout 2025 to see the other amazing organizations we support!

Just ahead of the holiday season, Melissa attended the ribbon cutting for Gallery ORD, our new luxury travel shop in Terminal 5 of O’Hare International Airport. The new store expands Blue Daring’s decade-long partnership with O’Hare. Check out the article in Negocios Now to hear what Melissa had to say about the store’s grand opening.

Our final team wrapped up the 2^nd Blue Daring Creative Challenge earlier this year with a conceptual film highlighting eight essential design elements as discovered throughout Chicago. Made in collaboration with a local videographer and composer, this unique exploration and original soundtrack celebrate both our value of World-Class Creativity and the world-class city we call home. Learn more or click below to watch the video.

Vanessa joined PwC last month for its “Latinx in Leadership” panel to share her journey with Blue Daring. Hosted by the company as part of its Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, the panel brought together leaders and changemakers in consulting, finance and philanthropy to discuss how their Latino identities influence their professional lives.