Rebranding Positions Human Services Agency as a Leader in the Sector
How does a $100 million social service agency remain relevant in a competitive environment?
Founded in New York City in 1831, Leake & Watts had evolved from an orphanage to a multi-faceted agency with more than 40 different programs. But their name and brand were hampering their ability to get referrals and attract donors.
We created a new name, message, and visual identity that positions it as a leader in the sector. Here’s how we did it.
Challenges
The organization needed to address the problems with its name and retain a sense of history while moving forward to appeal to donors and funders.
Discovery
We conducted a thorough Discovery process that was designed to help us uncover brand perceptions and communication issues:
- A Brand Audit that assessed all touchpoints with the public.
- A Competitive Review of other human services agencies to identify key differentiators.
- 25 Interviews with leadership, Board members, and donors.
- An Interactive Workshop with two dozen senior leaders to explore brand strengths.
- Five Focus Groups with different departments to understand their brand challenges.
Naming
The leadership, Brand Committee, and Board were engaged in a thorough process to develop and test a new name that would meet their needs around the theme of “Rise.”
After exploring more than 1,400 naming ideas, field testing for perceptions, and conducting legal vetting, the Brand Committee selected the name Rising Ground. This conveys how the organization helps people rise above adversity regardless of what they are facing. The tagline, ”Paths to positive change since 1831” amplifies the message and connects to their history.
Messaging
As part of the branding process, we updated the Mission and Vision Statements, Values, and other brand messaging.
Mission
Driven by the belief that each of us can thrive when life has hope and opportunity, Rising Ground provides caring support and proven paths to positive change, helping the most vulnerable children, adults and families rise above adversity.
Vision
Rising Ground envisions a future for New York where every child has an equal opportunity to succeed; where vulnerable individuals and families have the resources and support they need; where people with disabilities can access opportunity and fully participate in their communities; and where all are supported as they navigate life’s challenges and positively direct their lives.
Boilerplate
Rising Ground is a leading nonprofit social service organization, providing the most vulnerable children, adults and families in the Greater New York City area, with the resources and skills needed to rise above adversity and positively direct their lives.
Visual Identity
We created a new visual identity that is expressive, contemporary, and evokes the agency’s personality. The visual identity system consists of:
Website
We planned, wrote, designed, and developed a completely new website for the organization. We created a positive experience that showcases the agency’s mission of helping people rise above adversity.
Brand Launch
Announcing the new name was an opportunity to renew enthusiasm for the organization. To facilitate the transition, we drafted a Why We Changed Our Name document, letters to each stakeholder group, FAQs, a video, and other materials. The launch events generated lots of excitement and the name was well received by staff and donors, and garnered some media coverage (handled by a PR firm).
Outcomes
Rising Ground’s new brand eliminates the confusion with their old name, inspires donors with an uplifting message, and gives staff a clear purpose to rally around.
Most importantly, Rising Ground is positioned as a leader in the social services sector — one not known for bold changes. Leake & Watts’ transformation to Rising Ground has sent a signal to the sector that it is leading the way with bold decisions. They are seen as an attractive potential partner for acquiring other agencies, and their new brand is serving them well as in vying for attention and funding in these uncertain political times.
“Howard and the entire team at Red Rooster Group truly went above and beyond with our project – the rebranding and renaming of a venerable 185+ year organization. It wasn’t easy! Red Rooster Group took the time to really listen to what we believe in and what we wanted to achieve. Their process was strategic, creative, and inventive from start to finish. All throughout, Red Rooster Group made sure we stayed true to the core themes of our work that we collectively identified. No detail was too small and no request unsatisfied. You couldn’t ask for a team more dedicated. Today, we have a new name, visual identity, website, messaging, and mission and vision statements that are truly reflective of our impact in the community. Our new brand positions us with confidence as we look to the future and ways to further increase our impact. Red Rooster Group was a tremendous partner. We are delighted with the results of our work together!”
— Meredith Barber
Senior Director of Institutional Advancement
Rising Ground
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