Category: branding
9 steps to defining your nonprofit’s brand personality
Is your nonprofit… Passionate? Personable? Nurturing? Confident? These are just some of the Brand Personality traits a nonprofit might have. What are yours? Not sure? Does your personality change with each message, audience, or marketing piece? Why it’s important to have a clearly defined Brand Personality Defining an organization’s Brand Personality is one aspect to…
Whoa Nellie! Why you don’t need a new logo and tagline
Lately I’ve found myself in the odd position of recommending an organization not pursue developing a new (or re-designing their existing) logo and tagline. Why do people so commonly think it should be their first marketing step, and why am I – a branding consultant – pulling back the reins? Your logo is good enough…
How an Airbnb experience got me thinking about nonprofit brand values
I spent the first week of August on a road trip with my husband visiting Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in western Kentucky, to go mountain biking. We planned one night en route near Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois, where we booked a place to stay on Airbnb. I was immediately attracted to Jamie’s…
[Quiz] What is your brand awareness?
Eventually we want to re-design our website, but first we want to redo our branding. Can we discuss your process?” We are headed into a major transformation and need big brand development. I’d like to get a general sense of what your approach might be.” When I’m contacted by a prospect, often they’ll ask about…
Strategic planning and branding: like peas in a pod
Strategic planning and branding are different—but one sets the stage for the other. And the other supports it right back. Today, I’m going to define each and discuss how they ideally and effectively work together. How can your organization get the most out of their relationship? Let’s dive in. What is strategic planning? Strategic planning…
Want to boost your nonprofit’s image? Try using branded images!
Every image you share says something about your organization. Your images can be completely random, or they can serve a higher function—supporting your overall brand. Your marketing materials should have brand consistency, and so should your images! Whether they’re slathered across your social media outlets, on a website, in a blog, in your emails, brochures,…
10 important considerations when evaluating a new or existing nonprofit logo
Let’s say your nonprofit is going through a rebranding, and it’s time to review logo options from your designer or design firm. The ensuing discussion can easily become derailed and devolve into a subjective discussion of who likes blue and who hates orange. It’s important to move beyond personal judgements to ensure you end up…
What is the difference between a logo, identity and brand?
The terms brand, identity, and logo can be can be difficult to distinguish. They mean different things, and I for one have been guilty of using them interchangeably. And if the brand strategist/designer is doing it, I know others may be muddled too. Let’s figure out the differences between these potentially confusing terms. 1. Logo…
Branding case study: How New York Insight Meditation Center evolved to convey a “more profound and holistic message”
[this article first appeared in the DMA Nonprofit Federation Journal, September 2014] People are passionate about brands they feel connected to, and that doesn’t just apply to consumer products like cars, coffee and yoga clothes – it’s relevant to nonprofit brands too. Loyalty is the holy grail of branding, as it can lead directly to…
