Corporate branding is all the rage. Sony's doing it, so are Disney and Proctor and Gamble. It is certainly more than slapping a new logo on a flyer or finding a catch phrase to describe the program. And why bother doing it in the first place? Branding is more than a logo or consistent colors on all documents. The next four issues of Volunteer Today provide a "short" course on branding.

We begin with the question, "Why brand?" This sets the framework for future articles. It might help you begin a conversation in your organization about your "brand." After all, the organizational "brand" influences success at recruiting and keeping volunteers. It is also important for the volunteer program to have its own "brand."

The next three issues provide you the opportunity to assess your brand. It addresses the three elements of branding, values, image, and culture. Each article defines the element and then asks questions to help the reader assess progress toward effective branding.

Branding has an impact on the volunteer program. It can make finding and keeping volunteers easy or hard. The decisions about branding rarely lie in the hands of the volunteer managers, but conducting an informal assessment of the elements that that make up a brand can help the organization move forward, in a way that aids the growth and development of the volunteer program. And, it is certainly true that any assessment of the organizational brand requires the presence of the supervisor of volunteers as part of the team.

• Brands create radiance over all the activities of the program. It provides integration from throughout the organization. The "parts," including the volunteer program are seen as part of a seamless whole.
• It can reduce the cost of producing written or online materials. The "brand" is the same no matter what. No need for new designs or changes in how the program is seen by people.
• Volunteers, clients, members, staff, patrons feel like they are part of a group. Think about the "brand" for Apple, the computer maker. It is readily identifiable, to the point where they need not put their name on TV ads or magazine layouts. Apple users know they are part of a unique group, just by seeing the logo.
• The brand creates a commonality in everything from the appearance of a letterhead to the volunteer policy manual. This means that volunteers who never see each other know by the "brand" on a pin, certificate, or newsletter that they are participating in something large, with many parts.
• A brand can also be a positive mark of approval. Red Cross has been in the volunteer business for a long time. Volunteers see the "brand" in TV ads, disaster news on television, pins, and the local newsletters. Most volunteers are proud of their involvement in the most recognized community service brand in America.

The brand is not just the logo or color scheme of the latest organization report; it is aligning three elements, values, culture, and image, so the brand is integrated with all the parts of the organizations. Thus when people see the brand, there is a perception about the organization that is congruent with values, image and culture.

~ Next month: Assessing the Values of the Organization ~

Seniors of the Future

The baby boom is moving closer to the years of retirement. The median age of the population is rising. In 1900 one in 25 people were over the age of 65, by 2050 it would be one in five. The over 65 population will double between 2000 ­ 2050. Here are some forecasts by futurists of what to expect from this demographic group.

1. It is likely seniors will simply change jobs at 65. There is new legislation, which allows seniors between ages 60 ­ 65 to work without impacting their social security benefits.
2. Health plans will encourage seniors to stay fit through subsidizing memberships in health clubs. Currently 2/3 of seniors engages in regular physical exercise, that is double the number for younger adults.
3. Technology use by seniors is expected to grow, especially for those in rural or hard to reach area. It will be such things as pagers, which allow seniors to get to appointments or take medication at a pre-arranged time. Currently about 25% of seniors between ages 60 ­ 69 own computers. That percentage is expected to increase over time.
4. Seniors will have the most power of any demographic group in the political arena. Seniors vote and support programs and issues about which they are well informed.
5. Four of the five television programs most frequently watched by seniors are some type of news program. This is a well-informed group. These are also people who read, with 87% reading at least one daily newspaper.
6. Aging baby boomers are likely to force changes in health care policy. For example, few have prepared for the expense of long-term care, and Medicare only covers about 53% of all health care costs.
7. Nearly 90% of baby boomers say that taking care of their aging parents is among their top three life priorities.
8. Less than 25% of seniors expect to move in with their children; while more than half of baby boomers expect their aging parents to live with them as some point.

DAILY POINTS OF LIGHT AWARD FORMS AVAILABLE

The Points of Light Foundation has forms available to nominate volunteers and volunteer organizations for the Daily Points of Light Award. It is designed recognize individuals and groups that demonstrate unique and innovative approaches to community volunteering and citizen action, with a strong emphasis on service focused on the goals for children and young people set by the Presidents Summit for American's Future.

The award is given five days a week, excluding holidays. If you would like nomination forms, contact Crystal Hill at 202-729-8000.

1-800-VOLUNTEER

Copyright 2001 by Nancy Macduff.

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