Case Study

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Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank Brand Development

Challenge

The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank was formed in 1982 by a group of community leaders who made a commitment to providing emergency food to neighbors in need. Over the years, demand continued to rise, resulting in the Foodbank having to steadily increase its collection and distribution of food and other essential items.

With the organization's substantial growth came the urgency for enhanced community support. So, the Foodbank challenged WhiteSpace to develop an updated, more cohesive brand image that could be integrated into a variety of new development and marketing materials.

Solution

WhiteSpace launched the Foodbank's new brand with a strong identity program and strict branding guidelines. Colors, fonts, logo usage, etc. were all outlined for employees, volunteers and partners to adhere. These guidelines were sensitive to the non-profit's lean budget and the perception that supporters' contributions were being used wisely. For example, four-color printing may have been seen as extravagant, so WhiteSpace developed a program that consistently used two colors and select papers. By pre-planning these "restrictions" into the program, we were able to provide the Foodbank with a rich, versatile brand image that still would be perceived as cost-effective to its supporters.

For more than five years, WhiteSpace developed a wealth of integrated program materials – from a series of newsletters, direct mail and annual reports to vehicle graphics, special event materials and presentations – that reinforced the Foodbank's established brand and increased annual contributions. These materials were internationally honored for their creative excellence, bringing additional publicity and recognition to the Foodbank's efforts.

Impact

WhiteSpace's successful branding campaign, which included strategic direct-mail appeal and acquisition programs, helped increase the Foodbank's level of annual contributions by more than 28%. Donations continued to rise partly because donors had faith that their money was going to the people that needed it, not marketing materials.

We also delivered a cohesive Capital Campaign marketing program that leveraged, yet remained separate from, the existing Foodbank brand. With the help of the general branding program and Capital Campaign efforts, the Foodbank was able to raise $8,000,000 and move into an expansive, innovative new facility in 2007.

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