Real You: Brand hierarchy, the YWCA and when the brand gets in the way of the message
Posted on | July 25, 2008 | No Comments
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By Kaira Sturdivant Rouda
    I want to say this upfront: I LOVE the YWCA and everything it stands for. The mission statement, emblazoned proudly in persimmon, is empowering women, eliminating racism. I’m honored to serve on the board of my city’s YWCA, and champion the organization’s causes whenever I can. So, in the story I will tell you today, don’t think I’m disparaging the Y in any way, I am simply relating a cautionary branding tale.
    In the beginning: There was a meeting in my conference room. (It was today, so don’t think this is a long story.) As a marketing consultant, people come to me for advice. As a marketing consultant, I’m a sucker for the pro bono business. And especially for the YWCA. In they come. Three dedicated women with a problem.
    The problem: Declining enrollment in their School Age Child Care programs (SACC) in three large suburbs of our community. These programs are in the schools, have been in place since the early 1990s, and have seen declining enrollment for about five years even though they are the most cost-effective, convenient and professional child care in the communities.
    Strange, you think? More women are working outside the home. Fact, says childcare provider/director: Only 72 percent of women work outside the home in our community versus 75 percent a year ago. Perhaps that is the reason for the decline. I’m no mathematician, but I know and you know quality child care is the number one issue for working moms. In-school care, before and after classes, is a blessing. And truly, as long as the programming and the staff are sound (which these are), it should be a great choice for families.
    The aha: As the women presented the declining enrollment numbers, they began to pull out the advertising they created and the messaging they were using within the schools, online and in community arenas. Confusing. Non-differentiating and most importantly, emblazoned everywhere with the mission of the YWCA: eliminating racism and empowering women. The brand hierarchy was out of whack. The powers to be at the downtown office had decided that instead of what the child care facilities had been called for 15 years—SACC, KidZone, etc—the Y logo would be smacked on everything, without explanation. Kids at summer camp this year wore different colored primary shirts with eliminating racism and empowering women on the back. More than one parent, dads and moms, commented on the fact that really, they just wanted their particular child empowered and having fun.
    The point: The attempt to push the Y brand down to the local service providers backfired. The Y brand confused consumers who really just wanted child care services delivered via the school. This is a perfect example of branding for branding’s sake, not for brand progress.
    The end of the story: They got it. And so do your female customers. Immediately. Don’t push your brand on them, offer benefits and reasons to engage. Superior service and products are a given, right? Oh, and the final lesson: Putting the big words of eliminating racism and empowering women on the t-shirt of a little person who’s more excited about riding the log ride on a field trip during summer camp does nothing more than make brand promise all wet.Â
Check back next Friday for another Real You column.
Kaira Sturdivant Rouda is the creator of Real Living, the first women-focused real estate brand. She has more than 20 years of experience marketing to women and is the author of Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs. To learn more, visit www.RealYouIncorporated.com and join the community.
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