Strategies to

Stand out & Build Partnerships

Imagine Canada, Business-Community

Partnership Forum

JOCELYNE S. DAW

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Our Goal – Increase Effectiveness and Impact

• “Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding” book

– Extensive research,11 case studies including Canadian examples

– What does it take for a brand to power extraordinary results?

What is a Brand?

“It is not the name, the tag line or pretty

colors…..a brand is the set of expectations

and beliefs the marketplace has about you.”

David Placek

CEO, Lexicon Branding

NatureBridge Board Member

Reputation Identity Goodwill

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Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding Principles

1. Discover authentic brand meaning

2. Integrate brand meaning across the

organization

3. Rally internal brand ambassadors

4. Develop 360 brand communications

5. Mobilize external community by

connecting to brand

6. Cultivate partners based on brand

alignment to extend reach & influence

7. Leverage brand for alternative revenue and

value

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UNICEF – Discovering Authentic Brand Meaning

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UNICEF’s External Cluttered Market

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Brand TransformationWhatever it Takes to Save a Child….

“We spent two years defining the meaning

of our brand and focus on childhood

survival. We used the new focus as an

energy force, as a guide to everything we

do.”

- Caryl Stern, President & CEO

U.S. Fund for UNICEF

Discovering Your BRAND VALUE Proposition

CONVINCE THE HEAD

Rational

Focused and distinct

Relevant

TOUCH THE HEART

Emotional and personal

Serves a higher purpose & cause

ENGAGE THE HANDS

Actionable

Invites people in

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1. Discover and articulate org. leadership position

2. Elevate to cause and outcomes (solve issues)

3. Drive strategy- programs, communications, people

4. Rally communities to accelerate impact

Power of Research: Insights into Action

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A breakthrough brand has an Authentic brand

meaning

• Base: Demonstrates what your

ORGANIZATION does better than

anyone else that delivers value

• Build: Serves a CAUSE and has

tangible outcomes

• Breakthrough: Rallies internal &

external COMMUNITY

“If we’re serious about ending needless child deaths, it can’t be about us.”

- Jay Aldous, CMO of UNICEF

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F R A M E D

A brand unifies and drives direction

• Brand unifies focus and purpose

• Drives strategy - do, say, act, interact

• Rallies communities

• Accelerates impact

“Our brand is not just a way to communicate; it’s what we do, how

we live and breathe within our organization and engage our

stakeholders at every touch point.” - Lisa Fielder, College Forward

A brand is inspirational

“Be brave, bold and bigger than the whole organization

that’s what breakthrough brands do. It’s got to be an invitation to join a cause

and a movement.”

Jennifer Dorian, SVP Network Strategy & Brand,

TNT, U.S. Fund for UNICEF Volunteer

People get inspired when they are part

of something bigger than themselves

“We didn’t give our brand much

thought. It seemed good enough at

first , but it didn’t take long to

realize that it was truly doing us a

disservice.”

“Our brand is not just a way to

communicate; it’s what we do, how

we live and breathe within our

organization and engage our

stakeholders at every touch point.”

- Lisa Fielder, Executive Director, College Forward

College Forward’s Brand Evolution

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The Value of Introspection

2010: $1.8 million2006: $200,000

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Integrate brand meaning

Heart Disease

& Stroke

Sub-Brands Drive Brand Meaning

Heart Disease

& Stroke

Childhood

Obesity

Overarching

Issue

Cause

Focus

Cause

Sub-Brands

Women and

Heart Disease

Stroke in

Minorities

Master Brand

Overarching

Brand Platform Learn and Live

Heart Disease

StrokeAdults (35-54)

Physical Activity

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RALLY COMMUNITY INSIDE & OUTSIDE

CULTIVATE A COMMUNITY (OF OWNERS)

CONNECT AND ENGAGE

FOSTER AND GROW THE COMMUNITY

BASED ON THEIR NEEDS & INTERESTS, PASSIONS, VALUES

Marketing at Connecting with

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•Focused, compelling, relevant

•Reframe, relevant issues

•Experience the brand

Build a community around

women and heart disease

“Partnerships build and strengthen our brand, its reach

and credibility. We ensure careful alignment of passions,

goals, values, and target audiences. So, at the core of each

partnership is a win-win relationship.”

Ellen Rethore

VP, Marketing and Communications

Cultivate Breakthrough Partnerships

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Shared Brand Values…Mutual Benefit

“We have a strong belief in directly benefiting our

partners as well as our beneficiary audience.”

Kids’

Well-

Being

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Cataloguing Value-Add AssetsPreparing Internally

Asset Checklist

Brand reputation

Audience

Impact, reach and influence

Community connections

Media relationships

Communications

Social media presence

Volunteer opportunities

Event collaborations

Celebrity spokespeople

Issue expertise

Supporter networks

10,000 volunteers

100 trained counselors

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Identifying TargetsWith Overarching Strategies…

-

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Moderate

Mission

Alignment

Low Mission Alignment

High

Mission

Alignment

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Partnership Analysis FrameworkPreparing Internally

Alignment: Is there strategic alignment

with brand meaning, audience, and

mission?

Structure: Internal support systems?

Financial: Is the potential revenue

greater than the costs involved?

Marketing & reach potential: Does it

build supporter base; heighten awareness

and engagement?

Reputation and risk fit:? Does the

potential partner enhance and strengthen

reputation?

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Developing Goals

Nonprofit Goals Shared Goals Partner Goals

• Generating revenue

• Extending reach to new

audiences

• Building on relationship

with existing audiences

• Creating awareness

• Achieving specific mission-

oriented goals

• Reaching similar audiences

• Building reputation

• Achieving social goals

• Innovation

• Awareness

• Program development and

implementation

• License to operate

• Employee

recruitment/retention

• Reputation lift

• Increased sales

• Access to new market, new

geographic areas

• New stimulus for

innovation

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Evolving PartnershipsKeys to Success

Leadership buy-in and involvement

Clearly define roles and responsibilities

Actively manage relationships, not just programs

Plan realistic expectations and deadlines

Evolve program elements

Communicate continuously

Provide expected and unexpected benefits and opportunities

Celebrate accomplishments

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TRADITIONAL BREAKTHROUGH

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BRAND SHIFT

Logo, look, language What stand for

Raising money Mission in action

Organization Community

Deliver programs Deliver outcomes

Send money Join us

Power of a few Voice of many

Donors Community of believers

Emotional reaction Shared values

Brand as a living value proposition

• Creates a sense of purpose

• Drives direction and higher performance

• Attracts, motivates and retains best staff/volunteers

• Deepens relationships with supporters

• Generates new supporters and resources

• Fosters innovation & impact

• Changes perceptions, reputation

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• United around clear leadership

position

• Stand out as cause

• Articulate & demonstrate your value

• Foster loyal communities

• Accelerate social impact

Is your Brand Breaking Through?

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Jocelyne S. Dawjocelyne@jsdaw.com |

Twitter:@jocelynedaw

Let’s Continue the Journey!

Breakthrough Nonprofit Brandingwww.breakthroughnonprofitbranding.com