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This weekend, more than 1,200 cyclists converged on Charlotte for 24 Hours of Booty. For 24 hours, cyclists rode a nearly three mile loop around the Myers Park neighborhood in a sign of unity against all types of cancer. This annual event raises money for cancer research and survivorship. This year, participants raised more than $1 million!

Addison Whitney’s own Verbal Branding Coordinator Jenna Wise took part in the ride as part of Team Gita. Volunteerism is a large part of the Addison Whitney culture so seven members of our team, along with a few spouses, signed up to help out.

Some people may think of volunteering as something you’re giving an organization, but I’m always amazed at how much I get back from volunteering a few hours of my time. This event was incredibly inspiring. The race began as cancer survivors rode off after an emotional send-off. And then an army of cyclists, some riding in memory of those they’d lost to cancer, and others simply devoted to helping others took off – all 1,200 of them.

This event isn’t about how many laps you’ll ride, it’s about why you ride. The best part of my night was then a father and daughter came over to chat. The young girl proudly told me she was riding for her mom who was a survivor. That’s why you ride.

Contributed by Beth Anne McPheeters

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Any given day, you’re sure to find an Addison Whitney employee at the Y running on a tredmill or perfecting Zumba moves. As a member of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, I received an email last week from the President & CEO and Metropolitan Board Chair that blew my mind – in a good way.

By the time I’d received the email, I’d heard the news of the YMCA’s rebranding to the Y. I had seen the new logo and color palette. And I had read quite a few articles and blog entries cheering and jeering the change.

But this email was different because it was from my Y. The email, entitled “Still Your YMCA,” communicated the changes members can expect including a new brand strategy defining its cause of strengthening the foundations of community and a refreshed logo. But it also told members what would not change: the mission, core values and services members enjoy.

A key to successfully introducing a rebranding effort to your target audience is communication. As a member of the brand strategy team, we tell our clients going through rebranding efforts to do just what the Y did so well. Tell your target audience why you did it, how you did it and what they can expect. Change can be scary, so calm any fears by clearly stating what will not change.

The email from the YMCA of Greater Charlotte says it best: “As you can see, the Y isn’t changing any of the great programs and services that we’ve always provided; we’re just trying to do a better job of explaining why they matter.”

And you’re off to a great start.

Contributed by: Beth Anne McPheeters

Addison Whitney recently attended a mobile food packing event hosted by Harrison United Methodist Church in Ballantyne for starving children in Haiti, the Philippines and more than 60 countries around the world. In partnership with Samaritans International and the “Feed My Starving Children” organization, the “Million Meal Mission” food packing event supports children in impoverished living conditions through nutritional support. This was a community-wide event for local businesses, civic organizations and churches with a goal of having 1,700 volunteers pack 350,000 (of the 1 million) meals in 3 days.

FMSC has developed a food mixture that is easy and safe to transport. Preparation only requires boiling water and it is culturally acceptable all over the world. With the input of scientists from major food companies, FMSC developed MannaPack™, a formula consisting of rice, soy, vitamins, minerals, dehydrated vegetables and chicken flavoring.

In an assembly-line fashion, volunteers measure the ingredients and package the meals in small pouches. The formula was designed to save the lives of severely malnourished and starving children but the ingredients also improve the health, growth and physical well-being of children who are no longer in immediate danger of starvation. A single bag of food provides meals for six children.

Result:
5,000 plus volunteers and businesses around Charlotte and Union County packed 1,019,304 meals during the mobile packing events at Mineral Springs UMC, Harrison UMC and Oasis Shrine. These meals will provide enough food for 2,793 poverty stricken children for one full year!

Please visit the Feed My Starving Children website for information on how you can help!

Have you ever asked yourself how hospitals in your city seem to be everywhere these days? Here in Charlotte some have commented on how Carolinas Medical Center went from one hospital in the center of the city to a network of centers all across town. There is even a CMC branded facility in a newly built YMCA down by our office. In the last few months hospital administrators have tapped our brand consultancy to provide insights on strategic branding plans.

According to a recent article, there are four ways most hospitals across the country are achieving brand recognition. The first is through specialization. In this scenario focus is placed on building a practice around a very specific niche and all the communications reinforces that area of expertise. If an ailment comes up having to do with that specialty, a properly executed brand message would reinforce how specialization is synonymous with being the best in treating the condition. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America comes to mind in such a scenario.

We have also observed organizations, such as HealthSouth and Kindred, utilizing their master brands across multiple locations. No matter where you go, the same brand seems to remind you who the dominant healthcare player is in the area. Repetition of a brand identity is known to establish high levels of brand recognition under unaided market research. A new building brings with it a new place to expose the name.

Similar to the previous strategy, some medical groups have decided to build a brand in multiple directions. In this method multiple practices across numerous specialty areas are acquired and during the brand transition the previous brand goes away while master brand takes priority. The thought process here is to have your target audience think of you first when they get sick regardless of medical condition.

A fourth option can be illustrated by examining The Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. The two have extended their brand well beyond the physical territory they serve with the establishment of a technology partnership. Mayo has a venture with Microsoft and Cleveland with Google. In this type of collaboration all parties benefit by providing target audiences with an online tool featuring healthcare resources in what is perceived as trusted brand names.

If we think ahead don’t be surprised to hear about future branded partnerships when it comes to the new online personal health records being proposed.

Contributed by Ninh Nguyen