Overview
With more than two million volunteers nationwide, the American Cancer Society is one of the oldest and largest voluntary health organizations in the United States. The organization comprises chartered divisions throughout the country and over 3,400 local offices. It is committed to fighting cancer through balanced programs of research, education, patient service, advocacy, and rehabilitation.
Business Issue
When the American Cancer Society (ACS) first approached BrandWizard, the non-profit society faced a serious issue. “Visually and experientially, the ACS brand was represented in many different ways,” recalled Cynthia Currence, Vice President for Strategic Marketing & Branding. The problem was exacerbated by the fact that brand execution lay in the hands of many individuals. With 17 divisions, 3,400 local units and over 2 million volunteers, ensuring the brand was executed correctly across the organization represented a daunting task.
A redesign of the ACS identity by Interbrand Corporation in 2001 resulted in a complete collateral system covering stationery, signage, brochures, presentation templates, co-branding guidelines and forms. The issue at hand then became how to ensure the integrity of the new updated brand across a diverse network including the national home office, subchapters and fundraisers while ensuring the most effective and efficient use of the organization’s funds.
BrandWizard Response
BrandWizard built a digital brand management system to allow the American Cancer Society to manage its brand identity across guidelines, imagery, collateral, and radio, television, and advertising templates. Each regional division can systematically use imagery, language and advertising that is consistent and approved by the national organization. In concert with the national site, BrandWizard developed individual sites for American Cancer Society’s 15 divisions. Users are given the option of logging into the national site and seeing materials that are relevant to all American Cancer Society employees or logging into a divisional site for materials that apply only to their division.
Business Result
The ACS estimated savings at over US$250,000 in the first year of operation with the new Toolkit; while an internal audit showed that the organization achieved a brand consistency rating of over 95 percent. The Society can now execute collateral pieces quickly, consistently and cost-effectively, further enhancing the value of the brand in the hearts and minds of its constituents.
Ongoing revisions of the system are underway to incorporate all divisional sites into one single site. Access restrictions ensure that users see only material relevant to their needs, while a special access area allows users to view examples of other divisions’ branded material, effectively creating a vast knowledge pool and learning center.