Branding is more than just a logo. It's a more holistic perspective of how your customers experience your company and what impressions those experiences have made - what they think about your brand. A well-designed brand considers every single touch-point customers have with a company. I often refer to each brand "interaction" your customers have with your company as either a brand "deposit" that can create value for your firm or a "withdrawal".
A logo though is an important part of your brand's architecture as it is a simple mark that helps customers easily recognize your brand. The design of a new logo is often an exciting and engaging part of the much larger re-imaging for teams. It is often much needed - as brands find themselves moving into new digital marketplaces where their old logo is just not very functional. Let's take a look at three recent new logo's that have been launched as part of a much broader re-imaging of a not-for-profit's strategic plans. Each of these three teams spent months reaching out to stakeholders and invested significant resources in engaging them in a comprehensive re-branding process.
- Town of Whitby, Ontario - The Town of Whitby "official seal" was created in 1855 and was modified three times since - to include a sailboat, beaver and a train. The most recent update to the seal was done in 1968. The original Town of Whitby logo noted below was created in 2011 to aid communications. The new logo was launched in January 2020 and was designed by Scott Thornley and Company (STC). The line graphic begins as a gold upward curve, giving a nod to Whitby’s heritage. The line turns to green to represent the community’s growth, and active and green spaces, before finishing in cyan (a bright blue) to represent the Town’s waterfront and friendly nature. The palette also includes the navy from the Town’s previous brand representing stability. Collectively, the colours signal a community that is welcoming, growing and transforming. For more information visit: https://www.whitby.ca/en/townhall/corporate-rebrand-project.asp
2. Big Brothers Big Sisters - This 106-year old charity re-introduced itself to Canadians in the Fall of 2019 on Big Brother's Big Sister's Day. Jody Lundrigan, National VP of Communications and Partnership Development with BBBS in Toronto said "The focus is on bringing urgency and impact to the organization’s message around the importance of mentoring, with a particular emphasis on attracting a new generation of volunteers and donors.” (The Message). This logo is a great example of both the American and Canadian organizations collaborating on brand development. The logo was designed by the team at Kansas city-based Barkley. Replacing the former logo (two figures holding hands) is a powerful and bold capital “B”. The little “b,” which symbolizes the "Little" or the youth being mentored, is at the centre of the mark, and the green lines that complete the capital “B” symbolizes the "Big" mentor, who empowers the Little’s potential. For more information visit: https://bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/year-end-new-beginnings/old-logo/
3. ArQuives - Over the last few years, The ArQuives (formerly the CLGArchives) has learned that embracing change, engagement, disruption, and new challenges is key to unlocking our communities’ strengths and ensuring they remain relevant for years to come. Since the inception of the archives in 1973, the non-profit had changed their name three times to fit with their current mandate and to respond to the evolving LGBTQ2+ landscape. In 2018 they made a change for the fourth time in their history to further embrace the diversity of the communities they serve and the collections they conserve. In 2018 they also launched a critical digital portal that enabled worldwide access to the collections. To learn more visit their 2019 Annual Report.
- Town of Whitby logo. www.whitby.ca. Accessed June 1, 2018
- Town of Whitby logo. www.whitby.ca. Accessed May 1, 2020
- Big Brothers Big Sisters logo. www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca. Accessed Dec.6, 2018
- Big Brothers Big Sisters logo. www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca. Accessed May 1, 2020
- CLGA logo. www.clga.ca. Accessed Dec.21, 2018
- ArQuives logo. https://arquives.ca. Accessed May 1, 2020