This week we attended the CharityComms Communications on a Shoestring conference, giving some practical advice on how charities can best tackle their communications challenges on a tight budget. Our workshop centred on the branding process – guiding people from the development of a strong brand proposition to the creation of a ‘big idea’ that brings it all to life. And we also explored brand personality, taking a look at some key brand role models to uncover the importance of a distinct identity that engages with the world in an interesting way. The CharityComms event resonated really well with our core values at Neo – to help some of the world’s smallest, but best voices become some of its most powerful ones. As Nick, our Managing Director explains, “Neo is all about amplifying the voices of those organisations who are doing something good and interesting in the world. That’s why we believe workshops like these are so important – helping charities who might not have the budget to clearly articulate their offer, and breathe some life into their brand.” We really enjoyed the running the workshop, and would like to thank all those who joined us.

1. Brand building
on a budget
Nick Christoforou, Managing Director
Emma Cartwright, Copywriter

2. Neo is a communications agency
that takes care of the brands that
are taking care of the world.
We are a diverse team of strategists,
writers, designers and digital
thinkers.

3. The company we keep
3

4. Workshop objectives

5. What we would like to get
out of today
“How to be more effective.”
“Add to my comms toolbox”
“Set communications goals that require limited budget”
“Development of brand guidelines and brand manuals”
“How to help everyone work together”
= Simple tips around sharpening your brand
5

6. What is a brand?
6

7. A brand is the space
you occupy in someone
else’s mind
Anita Roddick
7

8. It is an expression of
what you do, who you
are and why you
deserve people’s trust
8

9. “Rebrand” reason to be afraid?
The scary scale...
NEW
VISUAL
IDENTITY
FULL
STRATEGIC SIMPLE
REBRAND REFINEMENTS
9

10. When you might
need to rebrand
• If you are new
• Changing your focus (eg. funding, new services, scale)
• Your external comms are not doing you justice
• Need more clarity around your cause and offer
• Bring more consistency
10

11. Creating Successful Brands

12. Bringing brands to life
12

13. Where are you now?
13

14. Where do you want to be?
14

15. What’s going to bring your
brand to life?
15

16. Case study:
Sova
Sustainability 16

17. Brief
For 35 years Sova had been helping people steer clear of
crime through volunteer based projects across the country.
They needed a brand that would help them stand out,
win contracts and bring the organisation together.
17

18. Before.
•Inconsistent
•Institutional
•Lacking clarity of
message
18

19. 1. Strategic review
•Research
•Engagement
•Insight
19

20. 2. Sova’s brand positioning
- building blocks
What we do (mission):
We offer personal support and practical advice to help build
stability both at work and at home enabling people to make
better choices and improve the quality of their lives.
Why we exist (vision/purpose):
A society where people have the stability and confidence to steer
clear of crime and make better choices
How we work/what we believe (values):
The people we work with are the reason for everything we do
Everyone should be treated with respect
Working together we can find the best solutions
20

21. 2. Sova’s brand positioning
- expression
Us in a nutshell (essence)
Ripple – about people improving their own lives and being
able to open up/reach out to other people; their world
expanding/getting bigger as they start to see new possibilities
and potential in it; new openings / opportunities.
Our personality / tone-of-voice
Vibrant – modern, alive and inspired
Accomplished – skilled, with grace
Sincere – genuinely on your side
Bold – clear and confident
21

22. 3. The big idea
‘With Sova’s help
people are creating a
better, brighter future
for themselves’
22

23. 23

24. 24

25. How Sova maximised
their budget
•Buy-in and sign-off at key stages avoiding expensive duplication of work
•Created templates that could be implemented internally by staff
•Careful selection of a single photography location we managed to cut out
the extra costs of multiple locations
•Graduate photographer and volunteer models
•Bulk orders with suppliers earning us a discount
•Devised economical ways of printing
•Utilised internal skills for copywriting, populating website and
communications planning
•Used an open source content management system (CMS) for website,
ensuring no license fees and low future development costs
25

26. Brand personality case study:
Ben and Jerry’s

27. Ben and Jerry’s brand personality
•Fun – playful, humourous
•Brave - almost controversial
•Passionate - positive attitude
•‘Home-fangled’ – rather than
new-fangled
27

28. 28

29. Exercise:
Describe the personality of the
brands on the handouts

30. 30

31. Oxfam’s brand
personality
•Provocative – prompt outrage, not guilt
•Optimistic – there’s always something that can be done
•Simple – rather than jargon
•Collaborative – creating change together
31

32. 32

33. Nike’s brand
personality
• Cool – contemporary and cutting edge
• Spirited – about stepping up to the challenge
• Tough – no nonsense athletic greatness
• Innovative – thinking outside the box
33

34. 34

35. WWF’s brand
personality
•Knowledgeable – offering direction and insight
•Optimistic – giving hope about the future
•Determined – driving forward in their ambition
•Engaging – spirited and motivating
35

36. 36

37. Dove’s brand
personality
•Feminine – soft, warm, gentle and sophisticated
•Honest – straight talking and simple
•Empowering – celebrating ‘real’ beauty
•Optimistic – sees the potential in its consumer
37

38. Tips for branding
on a budget

39. How to express your own
brand - the big idea
Strip it all back Neo example:
Get to the core of your brand.
We use strategy and creative to amplify the
Try to write one sentence that fully messages the world needs to hear.
encapsulates who you are and what you
do. You can use this to point towards your
brand essence.
This can go on to inform the creative
expression of your brand (ie. big idea - the
vehicle that holds everything together)
39

40. How to express your own
brand - personality
Build it back up These characteristics will inform your brand
If your brand had a personality what would personality (eg, tone-of-voice - the way you
it be? How would you like people to interact with the world)
describe you?
Neo example:
Write down three to four precise Fresh – we find new ways of saying things.
characteristics. Keep your audiences in
No fuss – we don’t over explain what we
mind during this exercise. What will do or who we are. We say just enough.
resonate with them? Real – we don’t try and talk or act like
A team brainstorm is a good way to identify anyone other than ourselves.
key themes and shared perspectives.
40

41. Practical tips
1. Get two for the price of one 4. Negotiate (fairly of course!)
If your organisational strategy is in need of an Nice agencies will always try to make the
update use the brand strategy process to do budget work for you.
both at the same time.
5. Access free talent
2. A fresh pair of eyes and ears Explore student talent to produce your outputs.
If you can afford it - use an agency to help (Once your core brand is in place)
guide you through the process but identify
internal skills to do as much as possible in- 6. Protect your investment
house. Write/design simple brand guidelines.
Set up and keep a brand/comms working
3. Avoid nasty surprises group from across all areas of the organisation.
If you use an agency ask them to list all the
activities and outputs they would recommend.
This will help you plan your budget.
41

42. Questions?
+44 (0) 1273 600 500
talk@weareneo.com