PND - Nonprofits By Design: It Takes a Village to Raise a Brand “Cowboys all know you can't brand nothin’ ’til you tie three of its legs together, slam it to the ground, and sedate it.” — Bart Crosby, brand designer
Everything gets branded — one way or another — whether it's a consumer product, a movie star, a political cause, a religion… even a nonprofit organization. Branding can't be avoided, and, in fact, it should be embraced — by all nonprofits. After all, it's how you tell your story and is at the heart of most successful outreach efforts. And let's face it: Everyone wants our attention. But the most organized, consistently delivered brands are the ones that people respond to. Why? Because they are the brands that people know and trust.
Think about the nonprofit organizations that have gained your respect and interest. You can probably sum up the message communicated by their brand in a few simple words:
Public Broadcasting Service: The PBS logo — a simple black-and-white treatment of three faces in profile — conveys the graphic message that PBS puts people ahead of profits. And when you tune into PBS, it looks and feels different from the networks in its use of images, color, format, typography. It has to — or it wouldn't be effectively branded.
American Red Cross: The Red Cross logo — an unadorned red cross against a field of white — is one of the most recognizable marks in the world. And the very qualities it conveys — neutrality, simplicity, and universality — are extremely important attributes of the organization's overall brand strategy. As the organization's tag line says, "Together, we can save a life." Simple, engaging, universal.
In both cases, design and branding work as respectful and effective partners. In both cases, the design is accessible, graphic, and straightforward — a complement to the overall branding of the organization.
The essential needs of the Red Cross included a logo that could alert people instantly — those in combat as well as distress — to the presence of the organization. Steff Geissbuhler, partner in Chermayeff & Geismar, a New York City design firm that has been among the most influential practitioners of nonprofit identity design for nearly half a century, says, "The white Red Cross vehicles, flags, uniforms, and tents are extremely visible compared with the camouflage and battle fatigues of various armies." The logo, while exquisitely simple, is in fact a bit more complex in its meaning. Geissbuhler, who is Swiss, observes, "After World War II, Switzerland, a neutral country, was an appropriate location in which to negotiate and establish a multinational agreement designed to protect prisoners of war, which became known as the Geneva Convention. So the Red Cross logo was designed after the Swiss national symbol, but instead of a white cross on a red field, a red cross was placed on a white field. The white background represented hygiene and the red symbolized blood, and thus life."
The current PBS identity was designed by C&G partner Tom Geismar. When C&G designs a brand strategy, it doesn't just design a logo: It produces a manual that lays out meticulous guidelines for the use of various brand elements — logo, tag line, typefaces, formats, and color palette — and ensures the integrity of the system over time. "Each nonprofit really needs someone in a position of authority who understands design because good design establishes structure and meaning," says C&G partner Ivan Chermayeff, "while mediocre design leaves the viewer detached and uninspired." To make sure the brand strategy works in conjunction with the organization's identity, its administration is often elevated to an important staff function, with the overall strategy directed by a designated brand steward (typically, a senior executive) and the nuts-and-bolts of that strategy implemented on a day-to-day basis by staff and outside consultants, including designers and other communications professionals. The brand "team," in turn, is responsible for generating all the communications materials needed by the organization — including its annual report, brochures, letterhead, signage, the Web site, and so on — in a way that reinforces the brand.
In the columns to come, I'll demystify the branding and design processes for nonprofits large and small and will show you how you can use both to enhance the effectiveness of your organization. I'll talk to you about how brands are defined, how to find and work with good designers and other professionals who understand branding and can help you create, within your budget, a brand strategy that supports the mission and identity of your organization. And, of course, I'll give you some ideas about where to find funding for all this.
If I do my job, a year from now you should be able to combine the dozen or so columns in the series to create a handy reference guide full of case studies of well-branded nonprofits as well as practical, creative approaches to help you improve your brand and, in the process, become a more focused and effective organization.
If you feel you've already created a successful brand for your nonprofit, please e-mail me your URL and include a few words about why you think your organization is well branded. Who knows, I just may cite it as a model for others to follow! And if you just want to let me know what you think of a particular column, by all means e-mail me at dkh@dkholland.com.
Where Did This Branding Thing Come From?
At its most fundamental level, branding is driven by the human need to distinguish one thing from another. Think about all those old Westerns in which cows wandered onto some other rancher's range, causing all kinds of trouble: It was the rancher's brand that protected his herd, his livelihood. On a more abstract, organizational level, the brand promotes the identity and underlying values of a unique culture by communicating the messages, products, and services created by that culture. For the purposes of our discussion, brand strategy is a plan that employs a unique set of design tools — logo, palette, typefaces, formats, images, and language — created for that organization alone and applied in each and every vehicle that helps communicate the brand: annual report, letterhead, business cards, packaging, Web site, and so on.
So brands are not just about logos (a typical misconception), even though the logo is often the key element in any branding program. They're about going beyond tangible design elements to something more abstract. As an expression of the core values of your organization, your brand creates expectations and makes promises to your audiences — whether they're already captive (staff, board members) or people you wish to attract (constituents, funders, opinion shapers). If executed well, a brand strategy delivers on those promises in a clear, understandable way that satisfies a need. In turn, brand loyalty — one of the keys to organizational sustainability — is engendered by the consistent presentation of your brand — and everything it implies.
The Branding Markers
Think of the things in your life that are branded — including yourself. All of them exhibit, to a greater or lesser degree, aspects of the four branding markers: reputation (how well do your desired audiences think about you or your organization?), esteem (how do audiences rate you or your organization?), relevance (do your audiences need or care about what you or your organization does?) and differentiation (are you different enough from others? are there other organizations out there like yours?). High marks in all four categories will contribute to making you or your organization a success. And if you doubt that success is tied to these markers, just consider your resume: the higher you rank in these areas, the more impressive it will seem to potential employers.
In addition to the four markers, a brand makes a promise to an organization's audiences that is usually incorporated in its mission statement. The American Red Cross promises to remain neutral in providing relief to victims of disaster and to help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. PBS promises to remain distanced from the consumer arena and, in the process, to deliver the best in broadcast news, entertainment, and education.
Confident branding uses design to communicate a message that attracts the audience (or audiences) you want to attract — a message that creates confidence in your brand while differentiating your organization, product, or service from all others. Again, think about the products and services you use every day. Are you attracted to a product if you're unclear about what it does? Perhaps. It might be packaged in a sexy wrapper. Or it might be novel enough to pique your curiosity. But if the branding is fuzzy, insincere, and/or inconsistent, it probably won't sustain your interest, gain your trust — or earn your loyalty. The same holds true for organizations and individuals.
Unfortunately, the nonprofit world is chock-full of fuzzy brands — mostly because nonprofit organizations are too busy focusing on service delivery or fundraising to consider the core work of branding. Or, in the case of new organizations, they jump the gun and rush to pick a name or design a logo and prepare outreach materials, all the while neglecting work that is vital to creating a sustainable identity. Adding insult to injury, they often do so without the benefit of guidance from a professional designer or marketer, or even input from the board. The result, more often than not, is branding that falls short: The organization's outreach materials don't communicate a clear and consistent message or, worse, the organization's story fails to resonate with its audiences, leaving the organization, if it manages to survive, struggling in catch-up mode.
It bears repeating: The benefits of an effective brand and brand strategy, though not always immediately apparent, are substantial and, in the final analysis, well worth the time and resources required to realize them. Among other things, a solid branding program can:
Communicate your organization's value proposition more efficiently and effectively.
Grow the size of your audiences (including board members, clients, and potential funders).
Motivate your audiences to spread the word for you. And, of course, word of mouth is the best and cheapest form of advertising!
Inform your next steps in terms of marketing and programming.
But maybe you don't know how to get started or are simply overwhelmed by the whole concept of branding. Don't worry. Help is on the way.
Because June is Funding for Arts Month at the Foundation Center, I've chosen two arts-related organizations — one a world-renowned cultural institution and the other a small, smart, Manhattan-based nonprofit that uses photography to expand the horizons and explore the creativity of inner-city kids — to further explore the concept of branding. Both have simple and effective brand identities. And they have one other thing in common: Art is the star of the show.
Make a Better Place: Design That Doesn't Dominate
This Lower East Side storefront nonprofit has a big, important mission — to help New York City's public school kids express themselves through photography and creative writing projects and, in doing so, to articulate a vision for change within their communities. Working with other nonprofit programs and the New York City Department of Education, Make a Better Place (MABP) has, since 1994, helped many kids find their true voice and become chroniclers of their young lives and times. The results are moving and powerful. And the organization's branding is effective and subtle.
Elana Gutmann, co-founder and co-director of MABP, says, "We chose Steve Liska, of Liska + Associates in Chicago, as our designer when we first started. Because he believes in photography, we knew he would honor the work of the kids and that his design and branding would be almost invisible. What the kids see in our brochures is photography by kids just like themselves — communicating to them. And they see that their work is reproduced beautifully. They get excited because they see that they may be able to create work like this too, through MABP, and that their work may be published — and that motivates them."
MABP still uses the exhibit signage system that Liska designed for them years ago. It's simple, straightforward yet sophisticated, and confident in its use of color. The typography is elegant but understated. And it works just as well today as it did when Liska designed it because it's classic. Liska, who is on MABP's board and is acknowledged in the organization's publications as a major sponsor, has always worked with MABP on a 100 percent pro-bono basis. But the relationship is totally professional. Says Gutmann, "Steve doesn't just squeeze us in; he gives us the time and care we need. He's an angel — our angel."
"We are an image-driven society," adds Gutmann. "We need to be able to communicate in a language that we can all understand. Kids experience how the images they see make them feel. It's not just chalk and talk. Our process engages multiple intelligences. Kids explore and learn about community, resources, and liabilities through reflection on their own experiences, research, community outings, and interviews with neighborhood residents. Later they are asked to create a variety of maps that may reflect physical topography, or kid-friendly environments, or areas of interest or danger. They learn to think abstractly, relating images to ideas. Within this active-learning environment, young people are able to demonstrate and communicate their understanding, their world view, and their individuality. In this way, even those who may not have previously succeeded in traditional academic settings are provided the opportunity to shine."
Design is important in everything MABP does. Precise color and typographic choices are crucial because each element must enhance the kids' photography while combining to create a clear, simple organizational branding statement that doesn't overpower the work.
It's a challenge not to over-design, to pull off a simple design in an elegant way. But MABP manages to do it on a consistent basis.
Web sites have become a major branding opportunity for organizations of all sizes. And yet Web design is just starting to reflect this fact — in part because the technology was so limited, in terms of design, for so long that designers simply weren't interested in the medium. As a result, most Web sites were places were everything was simply dumped on the home page, leaving visitors with a confusing impression of the organization. Now that the technology has improved and designers have more options and tools at their disposal, Web sites are starting to look more organized, strategic, interesting — and branded.
MABP has not made a major branding campaign a priority. But it is poised to grow, and as it does, it is positioned to further develop and exploit the design system it has had in place since its inception. Nevertheless, its services could be imitated. One challenge for MABP going forward, therefore, is to convey the message and spread the word that what it does, it does in a unique way — and that no one could do it better or smarter. Branding and design will be key allies in that effort, because they are the prime ways that organizations differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Museum of Modern Art: Change As Opportunity
The Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA, as it's known to art patrons around the world, was founded in 1929 by three women with eight prints and one drawing; in the decades since, it has grown to become arguably the most important museum of modern and contemporary art in the world. In order to maintain its position, however, MoMA needed to grow. Thus, when a hotel adjacent to its West 53rd Street Manhattan location became available in 1996, MoMa's trustees saw it as a unique opportunity to expand and improve its galleries, which had become inadequate for the display of large-scale contemporary art, while also enlarging its educational facilities.
But the plan posed a dilemma: What to do with MoMa's world-famous collections during the three years required to complete the expansion? And what about the MOMA design store and cinema, both of which were important educational components within the institution? Would the construction and attendant disruptions do more harm than good? Could MOMA weather three years of reduced visibility and the potential loss of significant amounts of earned income? These were real and serious concerns. But, at the same time, the trustees realized that the chance to expand in crowded midtown Manhattan was a once-in-a-generation opportunity and, moreover, brought with it the potential to significantly increase MoMA's influence in the world of modern art.
And so the decision was made to purchase the adjacent property and close the museum to allow for the proposed expansion. In the meantime, the 53rd Street collections would be moved and new exhibitions mounted in a temporary location in the borough of Queens, while the film center and its activities would be moved to a small cinema in Manhattan. MOMA officials also decided to address the potential loss of revenue by opening two new design stores — one at the temporary location in Queens and a second in Manhattan's gallery-rich Soho neighborhood — while keeping the original store on West 53rd Street open during the reconstruction period.
Branding — or re-branding — the institution, which already had a very distinct and focused identity, would be critical to the success, or failure, of the planned expansion. As Ed Pusz, the driving force behind the branding of MoMA Queens and MoMA's creative director since the capital campaign to fund the expansion of the 53rd Street location was launched five and a half years ago, puts it: "Prior to moving to Queens we didn't need much branding. We had our logo, designed by Chermayeff & Geismar in the sixties, which was applied very straightforwardly on signage, letterhead, products, and brochures. So MoMA Queens was the first opportunity we've had, in a long time, to say who we are and what we're becoming."
Adds Ruth Kaplan, the museum's deputy director for marketing and communications, "We conduct surveys of our visitors constantly. So we knew well in advance that one big issue regarding our move would be the apprehension visitors had about traveling to Queens — about crossing the East River and not knowing what to expect once they were on the other side. Interestingly, this was much more of an issue for New Yorkers than it was for tourists. So the MoMA Queens branding was initially all about public transportation, movement, and change."
The results, not surprisingly, have been astounding. Matisse-Picasso, the second major show at MoMA Queens in the last year, was a huge success and sold out regularly. Shuttle buses carried museum-goers from West 53rd Street to MoMA Queens' front door and also made the hop to P.S. 1, a contemporary art center and MoMA affiliate, just ten minutes away.
Cafes and gift shops at both venues provide sustenance and mementos. The re-branding campaign has also increased interest in the museum through its new locations. The unconventional and, in some cases, daring decisions made by the MoMA design team have modernized the brand a bit, making it seem more relevant to the times while enhancing its reputation as the leading institution in the field of contemporary art.
MoMA's main challenge going forward is to maintain its relevancy — and new dynamic identity — after it returns to its 53rd Street location. It's going to be exciting to see what the MoMA design team comes up with next — and that may be the greatest compliment a brand can receive.
Next Time: Getting Started
In next month's column, I'll discuss how to start the branding (or re-branding) process, as well as how you go about developing a design brief and the role of the board in developing and sustaining your brand. Subsequent columns will look at naming and creating branded tag lines and collateral materials, the role of the brand steward, ways to fund the branding process, and much more. I'm looking forward to the journey, and hope you are, too.
PND Nonprofits By Design - DK Holland BioWriter, strategist, and art director DK Holland has been developing award-winning programs that include branding, licensing, promotion, and product development for companies such as Mattel and Citicorp for thirty years. She was, until 2001, a partner in the Pushpin Group, an internationally acclaimed design and illustration firm based in New York City. Currently the principal of DK Holland, llc, a communications consultancy that works exclusively with nonprofits, her clients include the Literacy Assistance Center, New Internationals, the Sustainability Education Center, World Reach, the Buckminster Fuller Institute, and Sisters of Charity New York. DK serves on the board of directors of the Alliance for Nonprofit Governance, which she is in the process of re-branding; is an editor ofCommunications Artsmagazine and the author/art director of a dozen books on graphic design; and teaches in the graduate school for nonprofit management at New School University. She lives in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
print
e-mail
