A nonprofit that prepares high school students for life after high school recently unveiled a new name, logo and website that reflect the expanded scope of its work.
MyPath Mahoning Valley, formerly known as the Mahoning Valley College Access Program, worked with Pecchia Communications to craft its new identity, which reflects the broader reach of its work with local students.
“The direction of MVCAP changed from being a primarily college access program to assisting students in other areas,” said Gerri Jenkins, director of MyPath Mahoning Valley. “We recognized the need to help students prepare for other paths, like career and technical training, employment and military service.”
MyPath’s identity is important to its work with students and parents, and in its relationships with financial supporters, like local school districts, foundations and individual donors.
Pecchia Communications worked with a special committee appointed by the agency’s board to develop the new identity, including the tagline: Guiding today’s students to tomorrow’s success.
“It is crucial for our identity to mirror what we do and who we do it for,” said Gerri. “Our new identity demonstrates the individuality of the students we serve and our dedication to helping each student identify his or her individual path to success.”
The logo includes a path comprised of multiple blue circles, the largest of which highlights the “My” portion of the name.
The new website features images of students from the schools the organization serves, exemplifying MyPath’s focus on the primary audience.
“Our goal was to launch a website that showcases who we serve and is user-friendly so that students, parents and employers can utilize it for its resources to help students plan their futures,” Gerri said.
Pecchia Communications President Dan Pecchia offers the following tips for organizations considering a rebranding:
Zero in on the one thing that makes your organization different. That’s not as easy as it sounds. It may involve sacrificing the emphasis on some important attributes in order to focus harder on the prime differentiator.
Consider a special committee. A smaller group of people can move faster with reviews, decisions and approvals than a lumbering full board of directors/trustees. Try to capitalize on people with experience or meaningful interest in communications.
Go deep and wide on the input. Ideally, you want the opinions of financial supporters, clients and partner organizations, as well as senior leaders and board members.
Work with a partner who’s been there before. Unless your organization is overstaffed, you likely don’t have the time or expertise to lead a rebranding effort. Find an outside specialist who can listen to your people and provide good advice based on what they hear and see and what they’ve learned in the past.
To gain a tremendous advantage in planning your rebranding, get in touch with us.
