Dear IARP
Member:
I have some very exciting news to share. In July 2012 we announced the launch
of a comprehensive marketing program to strengthen the IARP brand worldwide and
deliver on a major commitment of our 2010 - 2015 strategic plan. Over the last
nine months we marshaled many internal and external resources to conduct
research and evaluate IARP, to understand its issues and its value, and to
craft a new brand identity and marketing strategy.
I am pleased to say that the branding effort is now complete, and the results
are strategically sound, visually stunning and extremely useful. I believe the
IARP brand now holds its own against the best in the world. The new brand
reflects who we are, where we have come from, and, most importantly, where we
are going.
Goals
Before revealing the new positioning and logo, let me review why we launched
the branding work and briefly recap the process that got us to where we are
today. The overall goal of the initiative was to create a unified IARP identity
that strengthened our chapters and membership. Specifically we wanted to:
• Clearly identify and articulate the extraordinary benefits of IARP to
existing and potential members
• Drive membership, especially newcomers and senior-level professionals
• Unite the organization around a common vision while providing flexibility for
chapters and sections
• Differentiate IARP from competitive organizations
We launched the branding work at a critical juncture in the life of the
association. IARP membership had been holding steady while becoming more
diverse. With the development of greater diversity came the need to identify
commonality and craft a new messaging strategy that captures the unique
benefits of IARP and communicates them consistently and compellingly. We also
knew that this coordination and brand alignment would become even more
important as the association grows and, in particular, attracts newcomers in
the field. We launched the branding initiative because we believe IARP can
become the most highly regarded association addressing private rehabilitation
globally from the onset of one’s career to its conclusion. The branding
initiative will allow us to clearly articulate our mission to the marketplace.
Process
It has been a busy nine months for those involved in the process. The brand
research and development involved many parties, including brand identity firm
Connector Branding with CEO Dave Studeman, Marketing Consultant Judith Iacuzzi
and other designers. Dave and Judy worked closely with the IARP Marketing Task
Force comprised of chapter leaders and staff, led by Katherine Dunlap, chair of
the IARP Marketing Committee.
The IARP
Marketing Task Force consisted of myself; Katherine; Dave; Judith; Carl
Wangman, IARP executive director; Neil Bennett, IARP past president; Kathleen
Dytrych, member IARP Marketing Committee; Beverly Olsen, immediate past
president IARP New England; Sara Shugars, member Disability Management section
board; Lynne Tracy, IARP President-elect; Michelle Hultine, president IARP
Nebraska; Nancy Wells, past president IARP Carolinas; Dana Weldon, regional
director IARP Canada; Kristi Miller, past president IARP Alabama; Tony Morin,
member Disability Management section board; Julie Sawyer-Little, chair-elect
Forensic section board; Edward Steffan, president IARP Illinois; and Emily
Veith, president IARP Wisconsin.
The brand development process was research intensive. The consultants analyzed
25 on-line membership surveys, conducted in-depth interviews with 20 IARP board
members, chapter leaders, administrators and staff, reviewed the 2010 - 2015
IARP strategic plan, reviewed the two leading IARP journals, evaluated the IARP
website, and all marketing communications materials and messages. Several
sessions with the branding work team were conducted, and numerous conference
calls were held to discuss the positioning as we moved forward. In January, the
positioning was finalized. In February, the new visual identity was selected,
and in March the IARP Board of Directors reviewed and approved IARP’s new brand
identity.
Results
Brand Attributes
Out of the
research and analysis emerged seven key attributes for IARP. These provide the
framework of support for IARP’s positioning in the marketplace and are the
basis for the benefits associated with the brand. They include:
Credible –
association and its members are authorities/leaders in rehabilitation, sought
after as professional resource to others in the industry, government
Collegial
– lifelong friends and supportive relationships, welcoming environment
Diverse –
covers the broadest range of the rehabilitation industry including geography
(national to international coverage)
Scholarly
– members are highly educated, association publishes journals and comprehensive
continuing education programs for licensure and career advancement
Accomplished
– both the association and its members are respected for innovation, acumen and
achievement
Committed
– strong advocates of the rehabilitation industry, continuing education, etc.
Entrepreneurial
– the association has produced a unique and original organization in the
rehabilitation industry
IARP
Brand Positioning
The Brand Positioning ties the attributes together into a clear articulation of
the brand and is the source from which derive all internal and external
communications, including public relations, the newsletter, website, conference
and other marketing literature. Attached are the details of the brand platform
and the “elevator” speech, the summary description of IARP’s value that could
be delivered to a fellow elevator rider.
IARP Nomenclature System
The branding effort also extends to our nomenclature system. As you know, the
acronyms used by IARP have confused many members, let alone non-members. In
addition, there is a lack of consistency in the naming structure from chapter
to chapter, with several chapters using variations of the IARP name. Members
generally refer to the association as IARP, not International Association for
Rehabilitation Professionals. Likewise, the slogans such as “I am IARP” does
not provide a definitive position for the brand nor does it illustrate any
distinguishing benefit.
Connector
Branding therefore recommended that we keep “International Association of
Rehabilitation Professionals” as the formal name of the organization and use
“IARP” as the communicative name to create a stronger identity and elevate the
brand. The new naming system also recognizes the importance of the chapters to
IARP. Therefore, all chapters will now be known as IARP followed by their
chapter name. Our sub-brands, such as Sections and the IARP International
Conference, will also appear under the IARP brand.
Connector Branding’s research and analysis found the existing logo to be
esoteric, inaccurate and confusing as a representation of IARP. The color
combinations of navy blue and gray have little or no appeal and in many cases
are an identity negative.
Connector
Branding created the new logo shown below to address these issues. With its
teal/bright green/silver color scheme and straightforward typeface, the new
logo conveys the clarity, credibility and welcome the association represents.
With the inclusion of a “swish” art element, the new logo connects with the
former logo. However, now the swish is the single art element (combined with
letters and words) and therefore becomes stronger and more significant tying to
IARP’s 2013 marketing theme: “The course of a lifetime starts with IARP.”
Overall,
the new logo is strong, contemporary, distinctive, and enduring.
Next Steps
Brand Conversion
We are now in the process of implementing the new brand. The new IARP logo,
graphics and positioning will soon appear on the IARP web site, newsletter, web
signatures, brochures and other collateral material. We will also be giving
IARP chapters the artwork templates necessary to create their own marketing
materials in keeping with the new brand.
I hope you
share my enthusiasm for the new IARP brand. I think it accurately reflects our
leadership position offering “the course of a lifetime” and effectively
positions IARP for the next 10 years. Please feel free to contact me (sshedlin@gmail.com) or IARP Executive
Director Carl Wangman (carlw@tcag.com)
directly if you would like to share your thoughts about the new IARP brand or
if you have any questions.
Best personal regards,
Steven D. Shedlin, M.Ed., CRC IARP President