Good Example OF Essay On Charity Rebranding
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In order for a charity or other not-for-profit business to do good deeds in the community it must be able to raise funds. A charity, which is not recognizable, will never be able to attract the attention of people whom it relies on for its funds. A charity’s brand must be memorable and identifiable in order to continue its goals. Pegasus Therapeutic Riding is a non-for-profit company with goals of helping children with mental and physical disabilities learn self-esteem and built physical strength by caring and riding horses. The objectives of the organization are worthy for the community, but without better recognition of their brand, it will fail.
Pegasus Therapeutic Riding has had the same logo and branding techniques for over ten years. Even if it were at once a viable branding plan, the one, they are now using, is very outdated and needs to be refreshed. The brand might be recognizable to the current fund donators but in order to pull in new donators and increase the amount of funds brought in, it is time to update the entire brand identity.
In order to start a new branding plan, the organization needs to have an identity and an understanding of who the target market should be. Charities have two types of clientele, the people who benefit from its services and those who donate money. Branding should be geared toward those who donate money. If Pegasus Therapeutic Riding were a person, it would be a middle-aged soccer mom. She would drive a higher end minivan, probably something comparable to a BWM. She might be divorced, or she might have a husband who works a lot, with a long commute. She has help around the house in the form of a maid or even a nanny to help her with the children. She has money to spare, which is why Pegasus Therapeutic Riding really wants to attract her.
Understanding who the target market is the first step toward rebranding. From there new color, lettering, images, graphics, and logos can be developed. Colors should be warm and inviting. Some charities like to use navy blue or other power colors. This can convey a feel of being too corporate. This will not be beneficial for Pegasus Therapeutic Riding as this charity is based on warmth and compassion. Colors, that allow the women, who will be donators, feel good about the work that their money will be doing will be best to attract them. Using warm colors are important, but they still need be attention grabbing. Pale, weak colors will be overlooked. Oranges and magentas (but not together) should be considered for the brand identity of Pegasus Therapeutic Riding.
Letting is a sometimes overlooked part of the brand identity. Not only is letting used within the logo but is mastheads and other identifying wording. The fonts and lettering does not need to be the same between the logo and other text, but it should at least flow and have some kind of connection. Serif fonts are more professional. While the charity should not be viewed as too corporate, there does need to be a level of professionalism. There need to be elements of compassion, but cutesy fonts will not allow anyone to take the organization seriously.
Images and graphics are an essential part of the brand identity. By being able to show how the services of the charity are being utilized by the community, donators will be able to see how their money will be put to good use. Photographs, that are taken by a professional, will allow donators to see that their money is important to the charity and the people who will benefit from their services. For Pegasus Therapeutic Riding photos of children grooming, riding, and leading horses will be excellent image ideas. Photos, which are not taken by professionals, or at last not processed and retouched by graphic designers, should never be used as they portray the organization because they simply look unprofessional. Using photos and other images allows the donator actually to create an identity bond with the charity. Infographics are also the latest additions to brand identities. By describing the therapeutic process or describing how money from donations is used via an infographic, can help to solidify the charity in the mind of clients.
One of the most important part of the rebranding process is developing the logo. The logo is a simple image that allows people to easily and quickly recognize the charity. Thousands of logos across the globe can be acknowledged by almost anyone who sees it. Coca-Cola, Google, Adidas, Disney, Harley Davidson, McDonalds, and the NFL all have logos which can be recognized immediately.
The goal for Pegasus Therapeutic Riding should be to develop a logo which can be easily identified, but when rebranding, it should also be recognized by people who knew the old logo as well. The current logo is a blue horse with wing, with a human hand print superimposed over it. This concept should be included in the newly rebranded logo. By utilizing the old logo as a template to rebuild a new one, a logo, that is easily recognizable to new clients and the preexisting ones as well, will emerge.
Rebranding any company will help it to grow. Rebranding a charity will contribute to bring in more funds and allow the good works to continue in the community. Pegasus Therapeutic Riding is in need of a full rebrand as it has had a stagnant brand for over ten years. By changing the colors associated with the organization, as well as the lettering, images, graphics, and logo, Pegasus will be able to be more in line with its target market. Wealthy women with children of their own will feel more connected to the charity and more likely to donate funds to the charity.
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