Branding Case Study
Congo Initiative
Congo Initiative is an international nonprofit organization that serves UCBC university in Democratic Republic of Congo as well as many community services within Beni, DRC. The rebrand entailed comprehensive research into the target audience (U.S., UK, international, and DRC) and discovery of current marketing issues. The organization is complex and was having trouble simplifying it's message to help constituents understand the complexity of its organization in an easy to understand way. The reband included Congo Initiative (the international fundraising and awareness arm) and UCBC (the university and community initiatives in Beni, DRC).
Project Goals:
1. Equip employees/board members/donors to "tell the story and grow the network"
2. Hone the brand identity (visual identity and verbal positioning statement/messaging) in order to develop brand guidelines and engage stakeholders to take a proactive role in awareness and fundraising efforts.
Problem Solved:
The project included: Discovery and Research, Strategy and Positioning, Creative Development, Refinement and Activation.
We began by working to understand the self image, goals, and audience perception of both Congo Initiative and UCBC. Every employee was surveyed as well as a cross section of board members, donors, and students. These surveys were used to help us understand how CI and UCBC were perceived and understood. It became clear that people did not understand the complex structure of the organization or how to talk about the many wonderful things happening within the community.
The brand and positioning were developed to help showcase the connection and help all key audiences (within the organization) be able to communicate the structure and vision of the organization quickly and succinctly. As well as strategies and wording for how to speak to the international audience vs the Congo audience.
The design focused on the concepts of hope, passion, inclusivity, and hard work. It is both professional and personal. It takes the five pillars of the complex organization and visualizes them. The new brand speaks to the complexity of this organization in a simple and meaningful way that reaches across cultures to connect the global community that is Congo Initiative.
