MenuEstablishing a healthy brand framework
Capabilities applied- Brand architecture
- Brand audit
- Identity standards
- Implementation
The situation
The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), representing approximately 154 public hospitals, uses advocacy, education and partnerships to build a strong, innovative and sustainable health care system for all Ontarians. The OHA had launched a new identity in 2004, but had not created brand standards to manage the large volume of print material they create, and their web presence and communication with stakeholders was not being managed efficiently or effectively. They were sending numerous electronic communications to their target audience from multiple departments within their organization. This resulted in a barrage of e-blasts as well as duplicate correspondence that was frustrating to their audience. Their audience had also grown beyond hospitals to a much broader health care base beyond its provincial boundaries.
Our actions
Interviews were conducted with senior level executives to understand the OHA’s organizational requirements and to help develop a marketing strategy that would allow for a unified brand presentation in both print and online communications. Without changing the logo, we created a brand architecture system for the visual presentation of the OHA brand that was unified, but flexible enough to handle the many requirements of their day-to-day communications. A 60+ page Visual Identity Guidelines document was produced to articulate the OHA brand positioning and brand tools needed for internal and external partners to create properly branded materials.
The results
A large volume of brochures and other communications is still being produced by the organization, supported by weekly e-blast promotions. New stationery was completed and separate branding was created for some of their unique initiatives, all within the framework of the brand architecture system established. Branding decisions are no longer treated on an ad hoc basis but are guided by the brand tools that were supplied to the OHA, allowing the organization to achieve significant cost savings and vastly improve stakeholder engagement.
