Developing Your Brand and Image Conference 30 March 2011

Linking strategy to brand

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Independent Age

31 March 2011 2

Linking strategy to brand

Simon Bottery - Director of Fundraising, Policy and Communications

This presentation

• Definitions

• Our strategy, old and new

• Different elements of „brand‟

• Realising the brand

• Implementation

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Definitions

A brand is a package of thoughts and emotions…

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Knowledgeable…

Trustworthy…

…but a bit old-fashioned

…and you can never get throughon the phone!

Process

Five steps to creating your brand

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Clarify mission + vision + strategy

Agree brand values

Illustrate them visually,

verbally and in behaviours

Test audience understanding

Implement

Vision = the world you want to seeMission = how you‟re going to help bring it about (who you help and how you help them)Strategy = activities/objectives for next 3-5 years

Brand values = qualities that make you valuable and (ideally) unique

Our strategy, old and new

1863: cash for life to prevent poverty

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For the ‘upper and middle classes’...

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Circumstances today have changed…

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Poverty of social

contact

Financial poverty

Poverty of information…

causes…

2004: New name and logo

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„Social contribution‟ replaces „class‟

2009 review of ‘ethos’ and strategy

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2010: ‘a support community’

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Social contact

and community

Information and advice

Help with finances

Improved quality of life

(We campaign to help those we can’t reach directly)

provides…

New service model

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Social contact

and community

Information and advice

Help with finances

Social groups – face to face/telephoneMagazine and other communication1:1 befriending for those in most need

HelplineNewsletter and information bookletsCasework for those in most need

Usually through information and adviceGrants for those in greatest needRegular payments phased out

One big change, one thing stays the same

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„Support for life‟ remains

„Social contribution‟ gone…

Brand values

Our brand values

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Visual identity

Mood boards

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Route 1: A mark of promise

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Route 2: A vital community

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Route 3: Enabling independence

Testing

• Internal („bird‟ fell at this stage)

• Online testing: www.fastmap.com

• External focus groups

• Internal focus groups (as sense check)

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External testing was key

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Heart Tree Current logo

Orange 27 44 29

Pink 26 43 31

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5

10

15

20

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30

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40

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50

perc

en

t

Logo choice

The public loved the tree of life…

This logo shows an image or perception of a `tree` which ages in life as it grows. It has `branches` which could represent all the various things that Independent Age can assist with for people of the older generation

The tree is supporting the bird. The tree has fruit on it which will benefit the bird. The image has a modern feel, without being modernist. I think it is really appropriate

The symbol looks like a thriving tree which is what older people should be able to do in their own home

I like the idea of the tree, old but strong

It shows the tree of life, branching out to support its fruit

The blossoming nature of the logo suggests a warm embracing culture which represents care and support

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Colour choice

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05

10152025303540

Blue Purple Orange Red

First pref 34 31 12 23

Second pref 29 26 21 24

Third pref 17 23 30 30

Last pref 21 20 36 23

perc

net

Colour choice - tree of life

ActiveApproac

hableCaring

Practical

Friendly

Red 28 26 26 29 32

Purple 19 35 36 22 45

01020304050

perc

en

t

Qualities of red/purple logo

Blue was favourite but not a good fit with the personality. Orange least preferred.

Red was a better fit with the personality than purple (and focus groups said purple = death)

Final logo and strapline

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Supergraphics

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Royal Crest retained as endorsement

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Verbal identity

Strapline

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Tone of voice

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Language

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Descriptors

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“Independent Age is a unique and growing charity: a support community for thousands of older people across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

We offer a „helping hand from a trusted friend‟, tackling older people‟s poverty and loneliness by offering information, advice and friendship.

Our help varies according to the type and extent of the individual‟s need.”

Behavioural identity

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The Independent Age approach

Implementation

Head office

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Learnings

1. Make sure you‟ve got a vision, mission and strategy

2. Trustees and colleagues must be onside

3. Brand values are critical

4. Work on visual, verbal and behavioural IDs

5. Get the best agency support you can afford in the area you‟re weakest

6. It doesn‟t all come together perfectly

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Contact

• simon.bottery@independentage.org.uk

• caroline.moye@independentage.org.uk

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