‘Brand Identity’: Tied to a Charity’s Mission

To the Editor:

Thomas J. Billitteri’s article “‘Branding’: a Hot Trend for Charities” (May 20) covered a range of anecdotal experiences and opinions, but it was somewhat less comprehensive in presenting an overview of the purpose, practice, and potential of philanthropic brand identity, including the separate but related issue of brand marketing.

Richard DiPerna of the Museum of Science, in Boston, correctly states, “You don’t just make up an identity and then pray.” In fact, at our advertising agency we call it “authentic branding.” We believe that the brand identity of a product or service exists perforce. It is the deep feeling that the constituency has about that product or service. That feeling, although often not identified, automatically pre-exists any communications effort.

As to the expressed and implicit concerns about the propriety of “brand identity” in the philanthropic realm, we see the reality to be exactly the opposite. Properly done, branding simply clarifies and focuses attention in the marketplace on the feelings that already exist within an organization, and is generally based upon the mission and performance of the organization. Further, we’ve seen that the simple process of identifying one’s authentic brand identity can refresh and renew an organization as to its raison d’etre, so it can yield both internal as well as external benefit.

Brand marketing, in contrast to brand identity — and the article tended not to distinguish between the two — is the creative expression and use of media to promote brand identity. Concerns expressed in the article were largely about commercialization and “slickness” in brand-marketing efforts. In fact, the opposite is true.

We live in an era of enlightened consumers. If the hyperbole in those creative marketing expressions is out of sync with the authentic feelings of the marketplace, donors will decide to opt out.

There certainly is danger for not-for-profit groups here. They do run the risk of being relegated to the ranks of “new improved soap suds” if they lead with their marketing and not with their mission.

It would be a wonderful world if charities had ample funds to do their great works without having to reach out to the market. However, the reality is quite different. Charities face the same short attention span of the marketplace as do all competitors. They would be performing less than their fiduciary duty if they didn’t attempt to communicate themselves as succinctly and powerfully as possible.

Just keep it authentic.

Harvey Marshak
President
Influence USA
New York

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To the Editor:

Your recent article on non-profit “branding” was most timely and accurate. An increasing interest in marketing — and branding is a subset of the overall marketing effort — has certainly been the trend in the non-profit arts.

There are a wide variety of factors at work here. Arts groups are looking to build new audiences, whether it is to reach more young people, more families, or more ethnic communities. They are also under increasing pressure to build a stronger earned-income base. Another factor is the increasingly blurry line between development and marketing and, on the giving side, between philanthropy and sponsorship.

Artistic directors have been particularly resistant to more-sophisticated approaches to marketing, such as branding, because they incorrectly view it as a threat to artistic integrity. In fact, an effective marketing effort flows from a clear sense of artistic purpose and mission that is expressed accurately and persuasively in an organization’s “look,” materials, language, logo, message, etc. Equally key is insuring that this message reaches the right target markets.

The Arts & Business Council is in the middle of a three-year program designed to help non-profit arts groups accomplish those goals. The National Arts Marketing Project, supported with $1.5-million from American Express, offers a multipronged approach to transforming how arts groups approach their marketing and audience-development efforts. …

Finally, and of particular interest to your readers, is the project’s Web site, Arts Marketing Online (http://www.artsmarketing.org), which is available to anyone with Web access. This site includes articles and case studies of interest, a list of valuable Web sites, and an interactive forum. It also includes additional information on the National Arts Marketing Project, which is a national adaptation of a highly successful program developed by our Chicago affiliate, the Arts & Business Council of Chicago.

Marketing, and branding, need not be viewed as a conflict with the pursuit of our missions but as a critically important element in how we effectively serve our non-profit purpose.

Gary P. Steuer
President
Arts & Business Council
New York