Why Professional Brand Design Must Be a Non-Negotiable for Not-For-Profits
Recently I received a stunning eDM in my inbox from Charity:Water. The charity raises funds to provide safe drinking water to people in third world countries – a brilliant cause, but then no less brilliant than the thousands of other charities that abound. What’s most remarkable is that having donated to Charity:Water once several years ago, I’ve never opted-out of their subscription list. I am a regular little philanthropist, donating here and there like a philanthropic Johnny Appleseed, then just as regularly ending our relationship by unsubscribing immediately. The reason I continue my relationship with Charity:Water is all about beautiful design. I love receiving their emails and watching their beautifully shot video clips, and as a result am more than likely to be an ongoing supporter. In the  hyper competitive, not-for-profit market I wonder how any organisation could afford NOT to invest in engaging brand identity design.

And Charity:Water are not without a group of stylish mates. Movember, Bono’s (RED) Charity, The World Wildlife Fund, Macmillan Cancer Support, and Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation are all not-for-profits who go hard to leverage the power of beautiful brand design to stand-out from the pack.

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Below are examples of the Charity:Water brand identity visual language:

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A quick scan of not-for-profit branding on Google provides a graphic insight into the poor standard of brand identity design across the category. In such a tough marketplace, a well designed visual identity must be one of the simplest ways for not-for-profit organisations to differentiate themselves. For most consumers coming across a not-for-profit for the first time, the brand identity and communications is the single most critical element to understanding the mission of a not-for-profit, trusting in them or not and having confidence in their professionalism.

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Bono leverages his own personal brand as well as those of his influential buddies to underscore the cool credentials of (RED). But brand design has also been a critical component of the brands reputation, especially when Bono and his famous mates are not around to personally represent the organisation – something not lost on the brands that choose to associate with (RED).

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Macmillan are a UK Cancer Support organisation who through the power of on engaging, personality-filled brand identity have created a high profile presence in their marketplace.

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The WWF is a well established brand who have been around for decades. They constantly keep the bar high though their faultlessly designed brand mark and a constant flow of creative, inspiring and memorable brand communications.

 

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In the world of not-for-profit brands, Movember have quickly built a global presence around a single cool idea of raising money and awareness through growing a ‘mo’ each year. Movember have had a clear view of who they are as a brand, and beautifully communicated that to their market of hairy bros and sistas through well crafted brand design from day one.

The Movember brand identity has always had a finely tuned edge to match their brand personality. This well crafted brand image allowed them to connect with a hip urban market in Australia, previously ignored by a category who saw the whole market through the same myopic lens. Movember’s approach led to lightening fast take-up, and opened-up larger, like-minded market around the world. The Mo became a symbol of urban hip, cascading down from the early adopters to a mass market who for the first time saw the association with a not-for-profit brand as an aspirational badge to cool. Clever brand associations with the likes of Grill’d burgers and a consistent flow of equally cool brand comms has seen the Movember brand take over the world like a killer mustache in a B-grade movie.

Dave Ansett
Chief Cre­ator of Brands
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