Thinking New York Ti M E S

N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5

ecent news reports about the Riots occur at some vaccination clinics possibility of a global pandemic as people are turned away or supplies are truly frightening, but the run out. Several trucks transporting scariest account I’ve seen so far vaccine are hijacked, and a gray market appeared on October 16th in The develops for vaccine and antiviral thinking New York Ti m e s. In that accou nt , drugs—many of which are counterfeit. Rexcerpted from an advance copy of the Bush administration’s emergency Family members are distraught response plan, the potential and outraged when loved results of an outbreak ones die within a matter are described in of a few days. Public story form: anxiety heightens mistrust of gov- Revisiting the B-Wo rd In some areas, ernment, dimin- grocery store How A Story ishing compli- shelves are ance with public If talk of branding still makes you queasy, it’s worth empty and health advi- considering the recent experience of New American Dream, social unrest Makes Bird Flu sories. “Worried occurs. Long well” seek med- a nonprofit whose rebranding has led to measurable lines form where ical care despite improvements in performance. food and gasoline Even Scarier their absence of are available. influenza illness, Elderly patients with further burdening upersize me.” “Pimp my ride.” m ore, and prom ote environ m ental pro- chronic, unstable med- the health care system. “Whoever dies with the most te c ti onand social justice in the pro c e s s. ical conditions hesitate to Mortuaries and funeral things wins.” For decades, Given an initial operating budget of leave their homes for fear of homes are overwhelmed. Americans have been inundated $ 170,000 and a two -p ers on sta ff, th ough , becoming seriously ill with influenza. by messages playing varia- the Center seemed well equipped for (Excerpted from “Pandemic Scenario – tions on the theme dreaming…but little else. Origin and Initial Spread,” part of the “S“more is more.” And Bush administration’s plan for respond- even when we are Eight years later, the ing to an outbreak of bird flu.) reminded that the organization has m o st valuabl e grown to 25 ful l - ti m e Terrifying, yes, but also a sobering things in life do employees with an reminder that when it comes to not have a price annual operating capturing attention and galvanizing ta g, it ’s a cre d it bu d get of $2 mil- action, stories mean more to human card company l i on . More impor- beings than numbers. dispensing such ta ntly, it has ste ere d wisdom, which over 3,000 institu- is tantamount to tional buyers toward the makers of Viagra more environmentally extolling the virtues of re sp on sible pu rcha s e s, celibacy. and has enl isted over 80,000 online activists in its ca u s e. Both In 1997, the Center for a New American its g rowth and effe c tiveness to ok a bi g Dream was founded to give voice to a l e ap forwa rd in 2004, and if you ask why, very different message — namely, that Betsy Taylor, the orga ni za ti on’s pre si d ent , Free-range thinkingT M is a monthly newsletter for public interest Americans can consume less, enjoy life will answer with one word: branding. groups, foundations, and progressive businesses that want to reach a goodman more people more eff e c t i v e l y. For a free subscription, send your request to: [email protected] or call 213 . 3 8 6 . 9 5 01 . Back issues are available on the web at www.agoodmanonline.com. 3250 wilshire boulevard, suite 1400 los angeles, ca 90010 Newsletter edited by Carolyn Ramsay. thinking N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 Revisiting the B-Wo rd

The original logo for the Center for a New BBMG began its rebranding process with people see the words ‘I can dream’ or ‘I American Dream (shown here) usually a “listening tour” that included the organi- dream’ in it,” says Taylor. Either way, these s they have developed brands and com- appeared with the tagline, “Helping people zation’s staff, trustees, stakeholders, and words reinforce a shift in emphasis from munications materials for clients ranging an institution trying to effect change to consume responsibly to protect the envi- over 1,000 online members. From this from the Robert Wood Johnson Founda- individuals who are intimately involved in ronment, improve the quality of life, and research, Bemporad discovered that the tion to the International AIDS Society, promote social justice.” Center’s branding solution that change. The organization applied the A In theory, a symbol that revolved around a single new logo and tagline to all its communica- Raphael Bemporad and Mitch Baranowski suggests “shining a word: more. “People told us tions and made other changes to stay have identified five laws of branding that guide light” or “illuminating that the Center was helping true to its new brand—perhaps none more every project they undertake: the way” coupled with a Americans get more of what emblematic than the renaming of its news- Law of the Wo rd: Own a word in the mind of tagline explicitly listing matters in their lives: more letter from “Enough!” to “In Balance.” the organization’s objec- fairness in the marketplace, your audience that differentiates your organiza- tives should add up to a more exposure to nature, Having finally embraced “more,” New tion from all others. It must be simple, clear, clear, positive message. and more fun every day,” American Dream is getting more done. and owned by nobody else in your field. In practice, though, it says Bemporad. In its Since 2003, the number of online activists didn’t. communications, however, responding to the organization’s alerts and Law of Focus: Focus your brand on your the Center kept asking spreading its message has increased from organization’s unique value proposition – “People perceived us Americans to resist the 28,000 to 83,000. In the last year, over i.e., the unique service as that group that was going to make them “more is better” mantra. Bemporad recog- 200 articles have been written about the or approach that defines B B M G ’s give something up,” says Taylor. She nized that for any rebranding effort to suc- organization, and Betsy Taylor now finds all you do and sets Fi ve L a w s recalls with a chuckle how friends would ceed, the advocates of less had herself appearing on the Voice of America you apart. o f come to her with confessions ranging from to find a way to embrace more. and other outlets that had previ- Br a n d i n g eating at McDonalds to driving an SUV, but ously shown no inter- Law of Leadership: her laughter fades as she also remembers Applying his agencies “Five est in her organiza- Successful organizations are perceived as how businesses avoided serious dealings Laws of Branding” (see box), tion’s work. Perhaps being the leaders at what they do. How can with the Center because “we were the Bemporad determined that most meaningful of all, your organization be the first to develop a group that wags its finger.” “more” was the word the in September 2005, when unique approach or service? Center had to own, and that the Ford Motor Company In 2004, Bemporad Baranowski Marketing the tagline “more of what announced increased Law of Authenticity: Authenticity is the proof Group (BBMG) was retained to give the matters” allowed the Center production of hybrid vehi- behind the promise inherent in your brand. new dreamers a new brand. “We saw an to rightfully own it. In cles, Bill Ford specifically Ensuring that you “walk your talk” in everything cited consumer pressure organization with incredible programs and developing a new logo that you do helps maintain your brand’s integrity. fabulous values,” says Raphael Bemporad, would visually represent generated by New American “but we also saw a huge disconnect this brand (see cover), Dream as a contributing Law of Consistency: A brand cannot get into between their values and the language they BBMG stripped the orga- factor in the company’s the mind of your audience unless it is commu- decision. were using to communicate who they were nization’s name down to nicated clearly and consistently over time. and why it mattered.” As an example, its three most inspiring Stay “on message”. Bemporad reads from a brochure the words, emphasizing the “We helped them go from Center had been distributing. In the visionary “dream” while deleting don’t to do, from less to more, ( E xc e r p ted with permission from “Bra n d - d r i ve n first three paragraphs, the words suffer, the staid and static “center.” and from stop to start,” says Communications for Nonprofit Orga n i z a t i o n s ,” which debt, struggle, exhausted, pressured, Bemporad. Considering the results, even can be downloaded in its entirety at www. b b m g . c o m . ) hungry, and bankruptcy appear. The use of green and blue in the logo a new dreamer like Betsy Taylor has to con- further articulated the brand. “Some cede the point: sometimes, more is more.