Branding Best Practices 101: Corey McPherson Nash

Michael McPherson presented a webinar about branding to the intellectually curious and energetic students of EXPLO's program at Yale University this summer. Drawing on relevant branding case studies from our own portfolio of work with Goodwill Industries and EXPLO itself, the presentation is a thoughtful snapshot of our philosophy, process and approach to branding.

1. Explo Explo marketing 7 / 22 / 2014

2. WHAT WE DO We help organizations attract and engage their audiences through creating clear, distinctive and meaningful brand messages and experiences .

3. Who we are We help organizations attract and engage their audiences through creating clear, distinctive and meaningful brand messages and experiences. And we promise a lot of fun along the way.

4. Your brand is what people say about you when you leave the room. – Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon the way corey thinks about brand

5. Branding is the activity of intentionally shaping the perceptions of your audiences to advance your organization. the way corey thinks about brand

6. Brand = Physical + Mental Physical: name + tagline + logo + color Mental: benefit + values + personality the way corey thinks about brand

7. the way corey thinks about brand WHO ARE YOU? ......................... BRAND IDENTITY WHAT DO YOU OFFER? ......................... FEATURES WHY SHOULD I CARE? ......................... BENEFITS

8. The Five Ps of a Brand Position Promise Permission Personality Permanence the way corey thinks about brand

9. POSITION The benefit that sets your brand apart

10. PROMISE The pledge to customers about the experience

11. PERMISSION The scope of the brand

12. PERSONALITY Voice and attitude

13. PERMANENCE The enduring qualities of the brand

14. the way corey thinks about brand: criteria IS IT RELEVANT? It matters to your audience IS IT PROFITABLE? We can do it well IS IT DEFENSIBLE? Competitors can’t do it well

15. Time + Consistent Delivery + Consistent Communication = BRAND EQUITY the way corey thinks about brand

16. Case studies

17. explo Brand strategy and website

18. Exploration Summer programs : project overview ASSIGNMENT Clarify the brand identity and program nomenclature for an growing number of summer programs and focus programs for kids grades 2–12. Design a new website that deploys the new brand architecture. SOLUTION Change the primary brand to “EXPLO” and use it to rebrand the three primary programs by campus location: Explo at Yale, etc. instead of by age group. Use EXPLO to brand the Professional Discovery programs, e.g. “EXPLO Marketing.” Use a color system to differentiate the programs and program types.

19. explo Former Brand Architecture Master Brand Exploration (“ Explo ”) Sub-brand The Classic Programs Product brands The Senior Program The Intermediate Program The Junior Program Sub-brand The Focus Programs Product brands Sports Medicine + Orthopedics Culinary Arts Veterinary Science etc .

20. explo RECOMMENDATION : Lead with EXPLO. EXPLO is much more distinctive, it is the name that everyone already uses, and it is short. It also works nicely in a “Master Brand/Sub-brand” system. (Think “FedEx”.)

21. explo RECOMMENDATION : To build brand equity, use “EXPLO” as a modifier in the names of your sub-brands and product brands . EXPLO works well to link your sub-brands and products together under one master brand. Using this consistently will build equity in both the overall brand and in your individual offerings.

22. explo FINDING : “Classic Programs” is not an ideal name for your three core programs. It probably does not mean much to most of your audiences. “Classic” also has some negative connotations, such as “old,” “dusty,” “boring,” etc. RECOMMENDATION: Replace “classic” with a more evocative term. For example: “360,” “Discover”, “Maximum”, “Max”. The overall sub-brand name would be “ Explo 360,” “ Explo Discover,” “ Explo Max,” etc.

23. explo FINDING : The nomenclature for the Classic Programs – “Senior Program,” “Intermediate Program,” “Junior Program” is confusing to the first-time visitor, because the terms refer to specific grade levels in (American) schools, but the grade ranges for the Programs do not correspond to those grade levels. (e.g. “Senior”, “Junior”) RECOMMENDATION : Incorporate the location in the name , e.g. “ Explo at Yale, Explo at Wellesley, etc. followed by the grade range, e.g., Grades 10- 12, etc.

24. explo Former Brand Architecture Master Brand Exploration (“ Explo ”) Sub-brand The Classic Programs Product brands The Senior Program The Intermediate Program The Junior Program Sub-brand The Focus Programs Product brands Sports Medicine + Orthopedics Culinary Arts Veterinary Science etc .

25. explo Current Brand Architecture Master Brand EXPLO Sub-brand EXPLO 360 Programs Product brands EXPLO at Yale EXPLO at Wellesley EXPLO at Wheaton Sub-brand EXPLO Focus Product brands Marketing Chef Ortho etc.

26. explo Previous Version of Website

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29. goodwill Retail branding and brand messaging

30. Goodwill industries of Massachusetts : project overview ASSIGNMENT Drive increased donations and retail sales by communicating the core mission of Goodwill to the public through stores, donation centers, and trucks. Differentiate Goodwill from other thrift retail outlets in Massachusetts. SOLUTION Created a primary tag line “I will. Goodwill.” Used that tag line as a platform to create other slogans: “I will donate,” “I will work,” etc. to communicate a range of brand messages that link back to the core mission. Developed a integrated graphic language that ties together a diverse product offering.

31. Goodwill Findings from 30 intercept interviews at 2 stores: Only 5 of the interviewees correctly stated the mission as related to job training for people with disabilities . Other responses ranged from “recycling” to providing good deals at a low cost. (“PRICES! Are you kidding?”) Most shoppers stated that knowing the mission would not influence their shopping behavior but that they would be more likely to donate to Goodwill .

32. Goodwill Perception of the Mission Homeless shelter, Clothing the homeless, Thrift shop etc. Perceived Mission Job Training and Placement Actual Mission Although true, is it compelling? Will communicating this effectively actually move the dial? Do we need to elevate the message for greater impact? From Jeans to Jobs Not Charity but a Chance Keep Descriptive? Make Emotive?

33. Goodwill Elevating the Mission – Descriptive Approach Jobs Mission What we do Provide jobs and training Who we help How it works What we have Individuals with disabilities Jeans to jobs Jobs, stores, summer camp Retain the mission but communicate it at a higher level in a descriptive way.

34. Goodwill Elevating the Mission – Emotional Approach Jobs Mission Purpose Giving lives new purpose Renewal A Chance Change Helping renew lives, dignity through work Second chances for people – and for things Changing lives Retain the mission but communicate it at a higher level in an emotive way.

35. Goodwill The Big Idea: The mission of Goodwill is to provide work opportunities to people who want to work, who want “to achieve independence and dignity through work,” in spite of the barriers they have to gaining employment. This resolution, this will to work, is at the core of the brand.

36. Goodwill The Big Idea: I will. Goodwill. The brand is expressed from the audience POV. The “I will” works not just for the job trainees, but also for the donors and shoppers: I will donate. I will save.

37. Goodwill Creative Strategy: Own a color. The blue/white/black palette in your identity is fine, but consider adding a brighter color palette that works with it. Then use it boldly and consistently.

38. Goodwill Creative Strategy: Own a typeface. Select a distinctive type palette that is widely available on computers. And then use it consistently throughout all your communications.

39. Goodwill Creative Strategy: Use the “I will” concept to generate headlines, but continue to use the last phrase of the existing mission statement – “independence and dignity through work” – as the primary tag line for the brand.

40. Goodwill Creative Concepts: Direction One Window Posters

41. Goodwill Creative Concepts: Direction One Shopping Bags

42. Goodwill Creative Concepts: Direction One Vehicles

43. Goodwill Creative Concepts: Direction One Department Signs

44. Goodwill Creative Concepts: Direction Two Window Posters

45. Goodwill Creative Concepts: Direction Two Shopping Bags

46. Goodwill Creative Concepts: Direction Two Vehicles

47. Goodwill Creative Concepts: Direction Two Department Signs

48. Goodwill: department signs Department Signs Creative Concepts: Direction Two

49. Goodwill: Store Signs Department Signs Rack Signs with Tag Line Pillar Signs

50. Goodwill Donation Center

51. Goodwill Results (from internal interviews): New branding has "modernized" the message, re-energized it. Staff has become brand ambassadors – inspired and motivated. New branding has provided a disciplined and consistent platform to promote the mission.

52. Goodwill Results (from shopper surveys): Shoppers believe the stores have better merchandise. Shoppers believe there is more merchandise in the stores. Financial: Sales up from 10%-18% in all stores that are rebranded .

53. Goodwill Recognition: Winner of the 2011 RAMAE Award for Advertising and Promotion from the Retail Association of Massachusetts