The 3-D brand

One of the most common things I see in purpose-driven marketing is one-dimensional branding. One-dimensional brands are focused inward. They talk about their work, their history, their ‘why’. I’ve written previously about the importance of focusing less on why and more on who, how and what. In a nutshell, over-focusing on 'why' emphasizes problem over progress. When I met with a health care organization recently, I pulled up their website and made this observation: “I get that there’s a problem you’re trying to fix, but I don’t see how you’re fixing it.” Articulating?how?you are uniquely addressing an issue and how well you are achieving your mission builds credibility and trust.

In my experience, too many purpose-driven brands don’t really understand themselves well enough to build a three-dimensional brand. That’s why their brands lack power. Here’s how you can take your purpose-driven brand from one-dimension to three:

1.?? First, get really clear about who you are at the core. What matters to you, and what’s unique about you? How do you live out those values day-to-day – from the way you answer the phone to how you deliver on your mandate? Getting clear about the brand from the inside out is the first step because it gives the brand integrity and authenticity and ensures you can live it out authentically. It also enables meaningful two-way conversations with people outside the organization – your core audiences. Which leads to step two.?

2.?? The second step is to understand the audience. What matters to them? What do they already think about you? What adjectives do they use to describe you? How do you help them get what they already want? Getting clear about the brand from the outside-in helps make the brand relevant and resonant to those audiences. The mission isn't the organization's alone. It's collective. When you see how internal and external values align, you can build a brand that reflects both internal and external values.

3.?? The third step involves orienting the brand within the larger world context. What’s going on contextually that you can integrate into the brand to make it more meaningful and valuable?

This inside-out-outside-in-contextually-relevant approach to brand orientation is what makes it three-dimensional. Because these brands are authentic and meaningful on several levels – with a strong emphasis on communicating shared values – they have more power to engage. By wrapping these three distinct elements into a single idea, the brand promise – or value proposition – becomes clearer and more compelling.

Here’s a case study.

I’ve worked for years with the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services AASAS (AASAS) on several successful public advocacy campaigns. About 18 months ago they asked me to help with their overall brand and communication strategy. AASAS provides coordination, collaboration and a unified voice on issues of sexual assault with member agencies across Alberta. Here’s how we worked through this process to reimagine their brand.

First, we had multiple conversations with their staff and board, members of the network, and funders. Here’s what we learned:

• AASAS is inclusive and affirming – every voice counts. And they have a relentless focus on meeting the needs of individual survivors. This is what matters from the inside-out.
• They are also trusted and respected leaders and effective collaborators who improve processes and amplify impact. Their network and funders appreciate their 30,000-foot perspective which informs policy and improves access to care. This is what matters from the outside-in.
• They mobilize and amplify the voices of the millions of Albertans who care deeply about this issue, which affects nearly 1 in 2 of us. ?This is the real-world context that makes their work even more relevant.

These three elements came together in a new visual identity (design by Meghan Draper ) and message platform designed by Cause & Effect .

The images below show the original brand message and we evolved it. Do you see a three-dimensional quality?

AASAS’s original message framework was largely descriptive. It described what they do and why they do it, and was heavy on statistics, an explanation of services and programs, the needs, and the breadth of the network. It spoke to the head rather than the heart. Rather than describe those attributes, how could the new brand framework bring them to life in a way that more accurately reflects the organizational DNA and is more inspirational for the audience? Here's where we landed:

The new brand positions AASAS as a sector champion and mobilizer. The language shift is intended to create an emotional connection with audiences. From “Working Together for an Alberta free from sexual violence” to "Many Voices. One Purpose."

The audience can immediately see themselves reflected in the imagery and message. Because the audience's mission and the organization's mission are the same, the brand is more powerful and engaging. The new brand message reflects the organization's DNA (leadership and collaboration) with what matters to their audiences (impact) and that this issue matters to an effects 1 in 2 Albertans (context).

Because AASAS’s secret sauce has to do with collaboration, we also wanted to bring their collaborative process to life. So we coined the phrase The Art of Connecting to explain the three elements of AASAS' collaboration: connecting voices (mobilizing the public), connecting communities (a province-wide perspective) and connecting dots (sharing insights that inform policy and program access).

This process took nearly a year to complete, but it gives the association a strong platform to amplify their impact for years to come.

How three-dimensional is your purpose-driven brand?

If you want to learn more about how to build a 3-D brand, get in touch or join my masterclass starting June 27. Registration closes soon!

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