Can Your Brand Help Propel Your Mission?
Photo courtesy CCI Health Services
Storytime
Let’s go back to 2020, when the world was shutting down. I had just joined CCI Health Services workforce, a stalwart community health center serving Montgomery and Prince George's counties. In the throes of the relentless COVID-19 pandemic, as the world grappled with uncertainty, the significance of equitable healthcare reverberated louder than ever, particularly for the local and marginalized populations. Amidst this backdrop, CCI Health Services emerged as a steadfast beacon, dedicated to bridging the healthcare gap when it was needed most. The challenge was twofold: not only to provide essential care but also to fortify our presence within the community, ensuring that every individual, every family, knew that a supportive ally stood by their side. But how could we effectively do that? How could we strategically position ourselves in the community and effectively communicate with different populations in a time of need? We went for a complete organizational rebrand.
Photo courtesy CCI Health Services
What is Brand?
You may think, HOW is a rebrand on this list of priorities when the world is shutting down? How can rebranding come first over messaging, advertisement, or any of the quick and accessible wins? Chances are if your brand lacks strategy, messaging, advertisement, and any of these other tangible items won’t be impactful. You see, your brand is your personality and you must start from the inside out. Meaning, if your staff doesn’t understand what you do, then your target audiences or the people you're trying to reach, won’t either.
I like to think of brands as a set of ingredients. I am a foodie, so food-related analogies work really well. If the ingredients in your pantry are clean, organized, and labeled, it is easier to educate your staff–or brand ambassadors–on who you are and what you do. Your brand translates to more than just your logo. The logo is your face. Your brand is your strategy. This encompasses your logo, messaging, mission, vision, positioning, color palette, visuals, target audiences, type suite. If any of these elements lack clarity, your brand will struggle to make its mark. It's like having a recipe without clear ingredients – the result won't be as delicious. So, start from the inside out, ensuring your team understands your brand, and watch as your impact grows.
Photo courtesy CCI Health Services
Finding Your Voice
In the case of CCI, finding a swift solution was crucial, given the pressing need within the community. To clarify their market position and better reflect their values, CCI embarked on a comprehensive organizational rebranding effort. This encompassed a range of initiatives, including:
Introducing a fresh logo
Adopting a new organizational name
Developing updated brand guidelines
Selecting new colors and a type suite
Revamping mission and vision statements
Crafting inclusive and new messaging
Launching a new website
Implementing a revamped social media strategy
Making strategic staff hires
Introducing new environment signage in health centers
And much more
To kickstart this transformative journey, we initiated an internal questionnaire that engaged a diverse range of key stakeholders within the organization. From recent hires to long-standing staff members, and from various departmental perspectives to the patients themselves, we sought a holistic understanding of CCI's story. This approach allowed us to capture the essence of CCI's journey, ensuring that the foundation of the rebrand was firmly rooted in its authentic narrative.
From Vision to Voice
Following months of dedicated research, the brand development gained momentum, culminating in a momentous launch timed with the 50th anniversary celebration. The rebrand achieved resounding success, and we attribute this achievement significantly to the integral participation of both patients and staff members. Their involvement played a pivotal role in shaping the brand's refresh, ensuring that the revamped logo resonated authentically with their collective perception of the organization's heart and soul.
Impact
The rebranding initiative generated a remarkable positive impact for the organization, amplifying its visibility and cultivating elevated brand loyalty. This evolution also yielded concrete advantages for the community, manifesting in heightened health equity and a clear demonstration of the organization's inclusive approach to healthcare services.
Data courtesy CCI Health Services
Wrapping Up
Crafting a solid brand strategy is a significant endeavor, but it is worth it. A comprehensive rebrand process entails intricate elements such as refining messaging, understanding target audiences and demographics, fine-tuning organizational positioning, curating captivating and amazing visuals including logos, type suites, and color palettes. This process ensures clarity around your entire business and organization. CCI’s proactive recognition of the necessity for such clarity yielded incredible outcomes. With a newfound ability to effectively communicate their value proposition to their intended audience, CCI experienced a surge in patient visits, a more impactful content presence, increased recruitment, heightened website traffic, and, crucially, an elevated profile within the community.
