The BrandScience Process for Refreshing an Aging Related Organization.
When most people think of a brand refresh for their organization, the conversation all too often focuses on a new logo or advertising theme or tag line. While these communication tactics may be important they should be the result of a well thought out strategy for an organizations brand. A new slogan or logo is not a strategy.
The best practice for an organizational brand refresh uses the principles of BrandScience™ to create the right strategy and then communicate it effectively to all stakeholders. The goal of a genuine brand strategy is to enhance an organization’s perceived relevance as a preferred brand in the minds of residents, clients, government, businesses, funders and influencers. Establishing a collaboration with the community creates a consensus among key stakeholders that will optimize the economic and service opportunities.
The emerging generation of seniors, the Boomers, are expected to reach 53 million by 2019. The Boomers think differently than their predecessors and want to be active change agents in their community. It is a privilege and responsibility for aging related organizations to address every opportunity to serve this generation by tailoring programs to exceed the expectations of seniors as they age.
The BrandScience process includes 4 steps:
1. The Brand Assessment phase includes research to analyze what clients/guests, prospective clients/guests, residents, staff, government, local philanthropy, and businesses feel about an organization as a preferred brand.
2. The BrandPromise® phase will determine the essence of the benefits, both functional and emotional, that stakeholders can expect to receive from experiencing an organization’s products and services.
3. The Brand Blueprint phase will determine how to communicate the Promise experience and distinctive brand messages, including name, logo, tag lines, graphic representations, content copy, etc.
4. The Brand Culturalization phase involves the entire organization’s team delivering the Promise to all stakeholders, the community and to each other
Senior Services of Snohomish County (SSSC) launched a BrandScience initiative to develop a strategy to enhance their image, perception and success as a preferred community brand of services for people as they age. A successful genuine brand clearly defines the organization’s unique and distinctive attributes that offer emotional and functional benefits. It’s not enough to provide needed programs. The organization must convey a certain feeling to all those who experience their products and services that transcends program attributes to enhance people’s lives.
Steve McGraw, CEO of Homage – Senior Services (formerly Senior Services of Snohomish County) will be in San Francisco at the Aging in America conference to share his organization’s process and success. Along with Duane Knapp, Founder and Chairman of BrandStrategy, Inc., they will provide insights and perspectives on how your organization can create a successful strategy and action steps to transform your organizations brand.
For more information go to: http://homage.org and https://brandstrategy.com. If you would like to meet with Duane or Steve in San Francisco email us at smcgraw@homage.org or dknapp@brandstrategy.com
Steve McGraw, BA, MA, CEO of Homage Senior Services, has 22 years of executive management experience with nonprofit organizations.
BrandStrategy, Inc. and its chairman; Duane Knapp, BBA, MBA, have advised over 400 brands in 17 countries worldwide including non-profits, destinations, corporations, community health care organizations, consumer brands, societies, professional associations, institutions, and countries.