Six branding tips and insights for small charities, music and arts organisations

Last month, I spent a few hours learning from experts in brand in the charity sector, thanks to the CharityComms Charity Brand & Creative Conference. Here are my key takeaways:

“If you’re confused, you lose … “ Donald Miller, Building a story brand

❓1. What is a brand? “Brand is everything. Brand is who you are, it’s what you do, it’s how you speak. It’s what you look like, and it’s how you make people think and feel when they come into contact with you. Brand is what you stand for, it’s your values and your principles.” Emma Shore, Scope

🌟 2. How do you make yours stand out? Ask: Who are you for? What do you deliver? How do you do it? Why do you exist? Dan Dufour, BrandDufour. 🔎 Look for what’s unique. Mine the essence of your organisation … if you have a tiny budget, focus on relevance, differentiation and a single unique selling point – Emma Shore, Scope

♟3. What is a brand strategy? Starts with vision, mission, values (or purpose, proposition, personality). Should run through your DNA – Dan Dufour, BrandDufour. 💗 It must be creative + strategic. Involves clarity, emotion, authenticity, captures your essence, has a core idea. Ideally 1 page, and is the creative brief for designers, writers, filmmakers, fundraisers etc. – Stuart Youngs, Studio Texture.

🖼 4. What do you need to begin a visual identity process? It’s an expression of who you are, what you stand for, what you do. So – mission vision values + a big idea + your practical requirements + input from your team and stakeholders – Liz Newell, Faith Bulleyment, CreativeConcern

💪 5. Who should be involved? Everyone: stakeholder/team interviews, workshops. Ask what do you believe are our aims? What impact does our work have? What are our biggest strengths? At rollout – more engagement activities and simple guidance, templates, tools. Emma Shore, Scope

✍️ 6. Words win hearts and minds. Verbal identity, tone of voice and key messages are just as important as visual identity and central to your brand development. That one’s from me 😊

“Brand is the space we occupy in someone else’s mind.” Anita Roddick, Body Shop

Thank you also to Adeela Warley, Vanessa Weddell, Charity Comms; Hannah Chambers, Children with Cancer; Roz Ryan, Lark; Tanya Jackson, Christian Aid; Vishnee Sauntoo, Age International; PaulAllen, Lark. Couldn’t fit in everyone’s fantastic insights!