| The NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund,
| |
| | understanding of the Fund's strategic
|
| a well-established nonprofit well-known
| |
| | approach to using the law to defend,
|
| by one generation of activists and
| |
| | motivate and inspire women - and its
|
| supporters, changed its name to Legal
| |
| | knowledge of audience perceptions - went
|
| Momentum in the spring of 2004. I first
| |
| | to work. After an intensive creative
|
| heard about the name change via a
| |
| | process, they came back to NOW Legal
|
| nonprofit client who thought that Legal
| |
| | Defense and Education Fund with 100
|
| Momentum's announcement letter to
| |
| | options.As a result of the training they
|
| colleagues (others in the NYC nonprofit
| |
| | had received, the Fund staff were able
|
| community, plus) was a very strong
| |
| | cut to the final 15 contenders quite
|
| example of proactive communications. He
| |
| | easily. The final decision was more
|
| was right.As a matter of fact, the letter
| |
| | wrenching. Legal Momentum (LM)
|
| was so strong that I decided to follow up
| |
| | recommended to the board as the name that
|
| with Maureen McFadden, Legal Momentum's
| |
| | best conveyed the organization's mission
|
| Vice President of Communications, to
| |
| | - to advance the rights of women and
|
| learn more about the process -- and
| |
| | girls by using the power of the law and
|
| ultimate impact -- of the name
| |
| | creating innovative public policy - while
|
| change.CHALLENGE: No One Got the Name, or
| |
| | enabling its evolution.Once the board
|
| the FocusEven with a 34-year record of
| |
| | agreed, Interbrand went on to create the
|
| positive action, NOW Legal Defense and
| |
| | look and feel to support the new
|
| Education Fund's growth was held back by
| |
| | name.Step Five: Proactive, engaging
|
| two seemingly impenetrable barriers. To
| |
| | communications strategy to launch the new
|
| begin with, there was perpetual confusion
| |
| | name.The next step was the crafting of a
|
| in the media about what the Fund was, and
| |
| | campaign to assure long-time audiences
|
| its relationship with NOW. "No matter how
| |
| | that the organization's mission and
|
| successful we were in getting media
| |
| | relationship with NOW remained in place,
|
| coverage, nine out of ten times they got
| |
| | while capitalizing on the attention to
|
| our name wrong," says McFadden. "As a
| |
| | trumpet its forward motion to "build a
|
| result, we didn't have any clips."You can
| |
| | world where women have the right and the
|
| bet that if the media get your
| |
| | ability to fully participate."Developed
|
| organization's name wrong, time and
| |
| | key messages around the name change
|
| again, that your target audiences do too.
| |
| | (focused on LM's growth and change), and
|
| And that's a real barrier to building
| |
| | trained staff on delivering them:
|
| relationships and brand."In addition,
| |
| | - Core message: "We changed our name
|
| audiences didn't know what 'legal defense
| |
| | but not our mission."
|
| and education fund' meant," continues
| |
| | - Prepared FAQs for staff
|
| McFadden. "They asked us for education
| |
| | members.Launched comprehensive
|
| grants or direct legal services. The only
| |
| | communications campaign to capitalize on
|
| audiences who did know who we were (and
| |
| | opportunity to engage audiences:
|
| what we did) were long-time feminists and
| |
| | - Message from the President and
|
| those with whom we had long relationships
| |
| | Chair-Featured in LM's newsletter, In
|
| on Capitol Hill."Since the Fund was
| |
| | Brief.-Highlighted on the LM website via
|
| striving to extend its reach to women
| |
| | a headline on every page on the site.-
|
| born after the civil rights era, and to
| |
| | Letter to colleague organizations.
|
| ensure all audiences were aware of the
| |
| | - Postcard announcement, with photo
|
| full range of its programs - including
| |
| | of staff with signs reading "Legal
|
| new initiatives such as lobbying for
| |
| | Momentum," sent to all staff.
|
| universal access to child care - these
| |
| | - Name change announcement flyer in
|
| problems had to be solved.After much
| |
| | all direct mail pieces (fundraising,
|
| deliberation, NOW Legal Defense and
| |
| | event invitations, etc.).
|
| Education Fund decided that a name change
| |
| | - Revision of collateral (stationary,
|
| was the communications strategy most
| |
| | printed materials), signage, website and
|
| likely to boost its ongoing evolution and
| |
| | newsletter to incorporate new brand (name
|
| outreach to broader audiences. "We needed
| |
| | and look and feel).
|
| a name that said who we were and what we
| |
| | - Updating of all voicemail messages,
|
| did, while enabling us to continue to
| |
| | and the script for answering the phone.
|
| grow," says McFadden.STRATEGY: In-Depth
| |
| | - Formal note cards, emphasizing name
|
| Analysis of History, Vision and Audience
| |
| | change, for staff use (focus on sending
|
| Perspectives Generates Powerful New
| |
| | to legislators).
|
| NameKnowing that a name change is a major
| |
| | - Annual report focused on name
|
| initiative, and one that can be very
| |
| | change (as an opportunity to feature LM's
|
| stressful (in terms of effort and
| |
| | growth and change).RESULTS: Clearer
|
| emotions), the Fund decided to seek
| |
| | Understanding, Increased Support, Broader
|
| outside help. So McFadden and her
| |
| | ReachMcFadden is pleased to report great
|
| colleagues applied for, and secured, pro
| |
| | results from the name change. "We haven't
|
| bono assistance from the Interbrand (a
| |
| | received one media mention that has the
|
| leading branding agency) Foundation. With
| |
| | name wrong," she notes.Moreover, she is
|
| the help of a powerful and dedicated
| |
| | pleased with LM's success in shaping
|
| Interbrand team, the naming process was
| |
| | coverage to feature the phrase, "a
|
| soon underway.This is how it
| |
| | woman's legal and advocacy
|
| unfolded:Step One: In-depth
| |
| | group."Established audiences have
|
| organizational probing.The branding team
| |
| | responded very positively. McFadden and
|
| learned about the Fund's vibrant history,
| |
| | her colleagues were prepared for
|
| including the leaders who built and
| |
| | long-term individual donors, such as
|
| sustained the Fund since its inception.
| |
| | feminists who have been supporters for a
|
| Discussion focused on what the Fund once
| |
| | very long time, to dislike the new name.
|
| was, what it was at present and what it
| |
| | Instead, the change energized audiences,
|
| wanted to be in the future.Step Two:
| |
| | generating a lot of feedback, much of it
|
| Focused audience research, with current
| |
| | positive.The name change also provided
|
| audiences and those the Fund wanted to
| |
| | Legal Momentum with a compelling focus
|
| reach in the future.After extensive
| |
| | for a major fundraising lunch with guests
|
| discussions with Fund staff past and
| |
| | Senators Kennedy and Clinton. The program
|
| present, Interbrand reached out to other
| |
| | featured the name change announcement,
|
| key audiences (funders, colleague
| |
| | supplemented by a fascinating video on LM
|
| organizations, and others with whom the
| |
| | history. Funders and friends in
|
| Fund had long-term relationships, as well
| |
| | attendance responded strongly.Legal
|
| as women that they felt should know more
| |
| | Momentum continues to communicate about
|
| about the Fund).Step Three: Training of
| |
| | its name change today, a year later,
|
| staff and other key stakeholders on the
| |
| | through its website. The change clearly
|
| development, impact and launch of a new
| |
| | enabled the organization to dissolve the
|
| name.The Interbrand team wisely ensured
| |
| | barriers that were getting in its way.
|
| that the Fund staff, and other
| |
| | Today, Legal Momentum is indeed building
|
| stakeholders such as board members, were
| |
| | momentum.Nancy E. Schwartz helps
|
| prepared to select the right name, and to
| |
| | nonprofits succeed through effective
|
| support its launch to generate the
| |
| | marketing and communications.Subscribe to
|
| greatest amount of awareness possible.
| |
| | her free e-newsletter "Getting
|
| Most importantly, they were trained to
| |
| | Attention," at and read her blog at for
|
| know how they wanted to be viewed.Step
| |
| | more insights, ideas and great tips on
|
| Four: Creative brand building, and a
| |
| | attracting the attention your
|
| grueling final selection process.The
| |
| | organization deserves.
|
| branding team, armed with its
| |
| |
|
