Using Design to Differentiate Your Non-Profit - Part II

(Click here for the original presentation this post is adapted from, a round-table discussion David facilitated for a non-profit federation marketing seminar in November '08)

The previous post discussed some challenges non-profits face in trying to break through internal obstacles to effective design. So what does good look like? There are a couple of ways to think about this, in terms of strategy and creativity.

Strategy - a brand is more than a logo

In his book Brand Sense (http://www.brandsense.com/) Martin Lindstrom did a tremendous job articulating advice most design firms give their clients: the idea that a brand is much more than a logo. As Lindstrom puts it, you should be able to "smash your brand" and have each of the individual pieces serve to identify your organization.

A great example is UPS (http://www.ups.com/) who uses both the color brown and a recognizable shield logo to identify itself.

If you're relying on a logo alone, you're missing other opportunities to build recognition. Organizations use colors, unique compositions and layouts, and unique typefaces that work together with a logo to create a comprehensive brand essence.

We helped one of our own clients, the Minneapolis JCC (http://sabesjcc.org/), establish a collage composition that can be varied according to color and photography, in print and on the web, while still remaining recognizable. JCC sends out direct mailings to different markets repeating a series of rectangles in different colors with different images relevant to their audience.

We believe you can get audiences to recognize a system rather than a specific, adding tremendous flexibility and depth to the goal of brand recognition.

Creativity - How do you know if your idea is "different"

The easy answer to this question is, "It scares the hell out of your executive director." In the last post we talked about the inevitable resistance organizations feel to something new. You don't want new-ness for its own sake, though. So what could be new for you?

>> Own an unusual color.

Livestrong is a great example of successful use of an unusual color to spread a message about courage in the face of adversity. Yellow is not your first choice as a color representing toughness, wherewithal and manly persverence. But it works. It's also a logical color for cycling gear, which is one of the merchandising strategies Livestrong has used to raise money for its cause:

http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.khLXK1PxHmF/b.2660611/k.BCED/Home.htm

>> Own a bold color.

Gap (Red) is a clever campaign that not only makes use of one of the most vibrant colors in the spectrum but also treats it in type ("[Red]") to let words back up the message:

http://www.joinred.com/Shop/shop_gap.aspx?gclid=CKjW8OOG_ZYCFRg6awodET_HXg

>> Own a unique style.

This is a great example of how a "brand" can work as more than just a logo. Look at how this organization uses type, style, photo choices and treatments, and composition to create a unique brand essence:

http://www.fightnightdc.com/

>> Own a provocative message.

Gillette Children's made a courageous and clever move in launching "Cure Pity" -- a campaign that turns one of the worst and weakest words for the topic of children's health and disabilities on its head:

http://www.curepity.org/

>> Connect with your audience.

This campaign from the Ad Council uses a clever way to speak directly to its audience of dads:

http://adcouncil.org/download.aspx?id=912

You don't have to be this literal, though in this case it works really well. Just be sure to keep your audience clearly in mind as you plan and execute your communications. Who are they, and what do they really care about?

>> And make people think.

See the bus campaign featured at this site. The campaign aimed at challenging religious and cultural bias by showing common phrases like "Rock, Paper, Scissors" spelled out in Arabic on parchment backgrounds. In a post-911 world it's designed to challenge audiences, allowing them to experience, realize and ultimately question their own fears:

http://www.rethinkbias.org/

How do we afford this?

It's not so much about money, it's about ideas. Of all the resources Apple has to throw at a marketing idea, look at how simple this highly effective campaign -- that really uses two guys and a white background -- achieved widespread success through an idea that fuses a very tangible marketing message:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzeRV6J0ZSw

This particular campaign was absurdly expensive if you're taking the example literally. Most non-profit and many for-profits dont' have the budget to run a national broadcast media campaign. What I'm saying is, challenge yourself to find your version of the "two guys on a white screen" example. It's the idea that makes the difference.

Non-profits are perfectly positioned to foster a design-friendly organizational culture. Why? Because they're mission driven. This gives them an advantage over some for-profits, who many times have to rediscover their purpose in order to connect with the valuable and rich territory of mission as a source for more relevant and engaging branding.

Design is subconscious and emotional. It comes from the same realm of belief that also drives your organizational cause -- your mission. So when it comes to design, non-profits are halfway there.