Michael McPherson presented a webinar about branding to the intellectually curious and energetic students of EXPLO's program at Yale University this summer. Drawing on relevant branding case studies from our own portfolio of work with Goodwill Industries and EXPLO itself, the presentation is a thoughtful snapshot of our philosophy, process and approach to branding.

1. EXPLO
EXPLO MARKETING
7 / 22 / 2014

2. WHAT WE DO
We help organizations attract and engage their
audiences through creating clear, distinctive and
meaningful brand messages and experiences.

3. WHO WE ARE
We help organizations attract and engage their
audiences through creating clear, distinctive and
meaningful brand messages and experiences.
And we promise a lot
of fun along the way.

4. Your brand
is what people say about you
when you leave the room.
– Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon
THE WAY COREY THINKS ABOUT BRAND

5. Branding
is the activity of intentionally
shaping the perceptions of your
audiences to advance your
organization.
THE WAY COREY THINKS ABOUT BRAND

6. Brand = Physical + Mental
Physical:
name + tagline + logo + color
Mental:
benefit + values + personality
THE WAY COREY THINKS ABOUT BRAND

7. THE WAY COREY THINKS ABOUT BRAND
WHO ARE
YOU?
.........................
BRAND IDENTITY
WHAT DO YOU
OFFER?
.........................
FEATURES
WHY SHOULD
I CARE?
.........................
BENEFITS

8. The Five Ps of a Brand
Position
Promise
Permission
Personality
Permanence
THE WAY COREY THINKS ABOUT BRAND

9. POSITION
The benefit that sets your brand apart

10. PROMISE
The pledge to customers about the
experience

11. PERMISSION
The scope of the brand

12. PERSONALITY
Voice and attitude

13. PERMANENCE
The enduring qualities of the brand

14. THE WAY COREY THINKS ABOUT BRAND: CRITERIA
IS IT
RELEVANT?
It matters to your
audience
IS IT
PROFITABLE?
We can do it well
IS IT
DEFENSIBLE?
Competitors can’t
do it well

15. Time +
Consistent Delivery +
Consistent Communication
=
B R A N D
E Q U I T Y
THE WAY COREY THINKS ABOUT BRAND

17. CASE STUDIES

18. EXPLO
BRAND STRATEGY AND WEBSITE

19. EXPLORATION SUMMER PROGRAMS: PROJECT OVERVIEW
ASSIGNMENT
• Clarify the brand identity and
program nomenclature for an
growing number of summer
programs and focus programs for
kids grades 2–12.
• Design a new website that deploys
the new brand architecture.
SOLUTION
• Change the primary brand to
“EXPLO” and use it to rebrand the
three primary programs by campus
location: Explo at Yale, etc. instead
of by age group.
• Use EXPLO to brand the
Professional Discovery programs,
e.g. “EXPLO Marketing.”
• Use a color system to differentiate
the programs and program types.

20. EXPLO
Former Brand Architecture
Master Brand Exploration (“Explo”)
Sub-brand The Classic Programs
Product brands The Senior Program
The Intermediate Program
The Junior Program
Sub-brand The Focus Programs
Product brands Sports Medicine + Orthopedics
Culinary Arts
Veterinary Science
etc.

21. EXPLO
RECOMMENDATION:
Lead with EXPLO.
EXPLO is much more distinctive, it is the name that
everyone already uses, and it is short. It also works
nicely in a “Master Brand/Sub-brand” system.
(Think “FedEx”.)

22. EXPLO
RECOMMENDATION:
To build brand equity, use “EXPLO” as a
modifier in the names of your sub-brands and
product brands.
EXPLO works well to link your sub-brands and products
together under one master brand. Using this consistently will
build equity in both the overall brand and in your individual
offerings.

23. EXPLO
FINDING:
“Classic Programs” is not an ideal name for your three core
programs. It probably does not mean much to most of your
audiences. “Classic” also has some negative connotations,
such as “old,” “dusty,” “boring,” etc.
RECOMMENDATION:
Replace “classic” with a more evocative term.
For example: “360,” “Discover”, “Maximum”, “Max”. The
overall sub-brand name would be “Explo 360,” “Explo
Discover,” “Explo Max,” etc.

24. EXPLO
FINDING:
The nomenclature for the Classic Programs – “Senior
Program,” “Intermediate Program,” “Junior Program” is
confusing to the first-time visitor, because the terms refer to
specific grade levels in (American) schools, but the grade
ranges for the Programs do not correspond to those grade
levels. (e.g. “Senior”, “Junior”)
RECOMMENDATION:
Incorporate the location in the name, e.g. “Explo at Yale,
Explo at Wellesley, etc. followed by the grade range, e.g.,
Grades 10-12, etc.

25. EXPLO
Former Brand Architecture
Master Brand Exploration (“Explo”)
Sub-brand The Classic Programs
Product brands The Senior Program
The Intermediate Program
The Junior Program
Sub-brand The Focus Programs
Product brands Sports Medicine + Orthopedics
Culinary Arts
Veterinary Science
etc.

26. EXPLO
Current Brand Architecture
Master Brand EXPLO
Sub-brand EXPLO 360 Programs
Product brands EXPLO at Yale
EXPLO at Wellesley
EXPLO at Wheaton
Sub-brand EXPLO Focus
Product brands Marketing
Chef
Ortho
etc.

27. EXPLO
Previous Version of Website

28. EXPLO

29. EXPLO

30. GOODWILL
RETAIL BRANDING AND BRAND MESSAGING

31. GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF MASSACHUSETTS: PROJECT OVERVIEW
ASSIGNMENT
• Drive increased donations and retail
sales by communicating the core
mission of Goodwill to the public
through stores, donation centers,
and trucks.
• Differentiate Goodwill from other
thrift retail outlets in Massachusetts.
SOLUTION
• Created a primary tag line “I will.
Goodwill.” Used that tag line as a
platform to create other slogans: “I
will donate,” “I will work,” etc. to
communicate a range of brand
messages that link back to the core
mission.
• Developed a integrated graphic
language that ties together a
diverse product offering.

32. GOODWILL
Findings from 30 intercept interviews at 2 stores:
• Only 5 of the interviewees correctly stated the
mission as related to job training for people with
disabilities.
• Other responses ranged from “recycling” to
providing good deals at a low cost. (“PRICES! Are
you kidding?”)
• Most shoppers stated that knowing the mission
would not influence their shopping behavior but
that they would be more likely to donate to
Goodwill.

33. GOODWILL
Perception of the Mission
Homeless
shelter,
Clothing the
homeless,
Thrift shop
etc.
Perceived
Mission
Job
Training and
Placement
Actual
Mission
Although true, is it compelling?
Will communicating this effectively
actually move the dial?
Do we need to elevate the
message for greater impact?
From Jeans
to Jobs
Not Charity
but a Chance
Keep Descriptive? Make Emotive?

34. GOODWILL
Elevating the Mission – Descriptive Approach
Jobs
Mission
What we do Provide jobs and training
Who we help
How it works
What we have
Individuals with disabilities
Jeans to jobs
Jobs, stores, summer camp
Retain the mission but communicate it at a higher level in a descriptive way.

35. GOODWILL
Elevating the Mission – Emotional Approach
Jobs
Mission
Purpose Giving lives new purpose
Renewal
A Chance
Change
Helping renew lives, dignity
through work
Second chances for
people – and for things
Changing lives
Retain the mission but communicate it at a higher level in an emotive way.

36. GOODWILL
The Big Idea:
The mission of Goodwill is to provide work
opportunities to people who want to work, who
want “to achieve independence and dignity
through work,” in spite of the barriers they
have to gaining employment.
This resolution, this will to work, is at the core
of the brand.

37. GOODWILL
The Big Idea:
I will. Goodwill.
The brand is expressed from the audience POV.
The “I will” works not just for the job trainees, but
also for the donors and shoppers:
• I will donate. I will save.

38. GOODWILL
Creative Strategy:
Own a color. The blue/white/black palette in
your identity is fine, but consider adding a
brighter color palette that works with it. Then
use it boldly and consistently.

39. GOODWILL
Creative Strategy:
Own a typeface. Select a distinctive type
palette that is widely available on
computers. And then use it consistently
throughout all your communications.

40. GOODWILL
Creative Strategy:
Use the “I will” concept to generate
headlines, but continue to use the last
phrase of the existing mission statement –
“independence and dignity through
work” – as the primary tag line for the
brand.

41. GOODWILL
Creative Concepts: Direction One
Window Posters

42. GOODWILL
Creative Concepts: Direction One
Shopping Bags

43. GOODWILL
Creative Concepts: Direction One
Vehicles

44. GOODWILL
Creative Concepts: Direction One
Department Signs

45. GOODWILL
Creative Concepts: Direction Two
Window Posters

46. GOODWILL
Creative Concepts: Direction Two
Shopping Bags

47. GOODWILL
Creative Concepts: Direction Two
Vehicles

48. GOODWILL
Creative Concepts: Direction Two
Department Signs

49. GOODWILL: DEPARTMENT SIGNS
Department Signs
Creative Concepts: Direction Two

50. GOODWILL: STORE SIGNS
Department Signs
Rack Signs with Tag Line
Pillar Signs

51. GOODWILL
Donation Center

52. GOODWILL
Results (from internal interviews):
• New branding has "modernized" the
message, re-energized it.
• Staff has become brand ambassadors –
inspired and motivated.
• New branding has provided a disciplined
and consistent platform to promote the
mission.

53. GOODWILL
Results (from shopper surveys):
• Shoppers believe the stores have better
merchandise.
• Shoppers believe there is more
merchandise in the stores.
Financial:
• Sales up from 10%-18% in all stores that
are rebranded.

54. GOODWILL
Recognition:
• Winner of the 2011 RAMAE Award for
Advertising and Promotion from the Retail
Association of Massachusetts