Rebranding NAWBO and rebranding business is fraught with challenges.
For those of you who have indulged in branding, you know how tough this process is. We just finished a photo shoot that was highly stylized. You will see it on these pages. We all are wearing black with white button down shirts and red shoes. It represents a shot of unity. And yet, each of us has our own spin on what how we put this look together.
We used knoodle. Full disclosure: this is my company. We donated the photo shoot so we could hire a veteran photographer in Paul Markow. Creative Director Ivan Galaz directed the shoot. Together we took shot after shot following the path set forth by the vision board. This whole process reminded me of how difficult rebrands are.
Not everyone was able to make it. Some didn’t care for the concept. Some were out of town. But in the end, the majority of board members turned out and had a great time, pretending to be models. The studio had a look of a Hollywood set, complete with music, fans (so that our hair could blow in the wind) and professional hair and makeup. Mary Reid, the makeup artist, has worked with models and superstars all over the world. And she did make us be our best self- that and a little photo retouching!
This year, the idea is to be relevant for business women of all types. This includes women who own every size of business, who want a voice locally and nationally, love to meet other women, build contacts, find new friends and have a clear connection to what goes on in Washington DC.
Lessons learned over the years regarding rebrands:
- Never do marketing by committee. Leave it to the one person who is responsible to avoid a homogenized vision of mediocrity.
- Start with a clear vision and strategy by those you most want to reach. It will serve as the foundation for all that you do.
- Brand everything using the positioning the you have chosen, a strong logo, and a common color palette.
- Develop the brand with a strong voice that is consistent through every medium.
- Be strong. Throw all materials away with previous logos, branding, and all leftovers. Past brands should remain unseen to prevent confusion. This is the hardest for businesses to achieve because we all hate to throw away the things we have spent money on.
Rosaria Cain
President
