Samaritan Interfaith’s counseling centers and Center for Congregations consulting division came to us with identity and awareness issues. The name Samaritan had been adopted over the years by many nonprofits which was causing confusion. And despite their 45-year history, they felt they were the market’s “best kept secret”. Wanting to grow awareness and renew their efforts to advocate for mental health care, they realized they needed to differentiate and clarify their message to appeal to a broader audience. We agreed.
We began with an extensive brand audit that guided our thinking for the brand platform and strategy. Among many things, the audit confirmed our suspicions that their names were too common, too confusing and too limiting for an increasingly non-religious population. Our recommendations encompassed major changes including a new name, naming architecture, logo and tagline; separate websites for both sides of the business; fresh design, voice and content; and advocacy initiatives. With an enthusiastic go-ahead from the organization’s leadership team and board of directors, we embarked on a complete rebrand that has rejuvenated the staff and gotten an extremely positive response from clients, partners and the community.
