Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Rebranding
As a part of my course work, we were required to choose a charity and create materials that could help increase donations to the charity of our choice; this acted as a rebranding as well. I selected the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to be the focus of my work. My selection of this charity was based on a personal affinity, my family and I are originally from Maryland.
Following my selection came in-depth research to determine the problems that the Chesapeake Bay Foundation faced and what could be done to reinvigorate it. The research found that donations had fallen during the period of the 2008 recession and had yet to return to their previous levels; despite similar charities seeing a greater return. Much of the problems for the charity involved a brand that stale, a focus that was too narrow, and a charity that had matured beyond its original scope.
This is the original logo for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and features a design that was cutting edge in the early 1990's but didn't fit into the new design landscape consumers experience everyday.
This is the rebranded logo for the foundation.The image of the gull was carried over from the original logo design while a crab was added to represent that the Chesapeake bay is far more than just a home to shore birds it is a home to the bay's Number one export the bluefin crab. With a stronger color palette and imagery it was time to address the voice of the brand. Through the research I was able to determine that the best course of action for the foundation was to shift the focus of their effort from local donors to national and international donations. To be successful at this effort they needed to give their brand a stronger appearance and a stronger voice. The logo above was created to fulfil those needs while maintaining elements of the past.
Another issue faced by the foundation was recognition. It had no public face donors could associate with the brand. Research shows donors are more likely to give if they have a positive association with the brand and those that represent it. The foundation needed a "Brand Evangelist", a celebrity endorsement that would foster that positive association. Mike Rowe, creator and Host of the Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs, who also happens to be a Baltimore native was a perfect match for this. Rowe is a beloved television star who is known for being funny, thoughtful, and down to earth. After Mike's selection the message was crafted to mix the foundations message and Mike's trademark delivery. The ad above was created as a result to present that new voice and reinvigorate the foundation.
