What’s the most valuable asset a Boys & Girls Club can possess? Here are a few hints:

It’s communicated daily through your staff and volunteers, programs and practices, facilities and management, and, of course, your marketing and communications.

It’s critically important to your ability to generate revenue, recruit and retain talent, reach and impact more members, and execute countless other Club operations.

Its value is determined by how people perceive, trust, and, ultimately, support your organization.

You have probably guessed by now that the “it” we are referring to is the Boys & Girls Club brand.

Throughout our history, the Boys & Girls Club brand has evolved with the times. During the past decade, as our Movement more than doubled in size and significantly deepened its impact on youth, our brand grew from what was referred to as “America’s best kept secret” to one of the most widely recognized and respected charities in the country today.

As we move forward with a new five-year strategic plan focusing on impact, we face challenges and opportunities that require our Movement to build upon our brand success, and explore new ways to generate revenue and support from the public.

Therefore, Boys & Girls Clubs of America partnered with McCann Worldgroup, an international marketing agency, to launch a long-term brand campaign highlighting the positive impact Clubs have on youth, families and communities. Key goals include:

• integrating marketing and resource development efforts to bolster engagement amongst individuals;
• deepening understanding of our impact and leadership in youth development; and
• ensuring Boys & Girls Clubs are seen as trusted and ethical nonprofits.

For more than a year, McCann and BGCA have worked to assess and re-energize our brand direction based on Club feedback, research, expert opinion, past success and new opportunities, and we’re excited to share our findings and new campaign with you.

Challenges

The brand campaign was created in response to the increasing challenges facing our Movement as we look toward the next five years:

Our Kids

Clubs see issues affecting kids in communities every day – nearly one-third of America’s youth will not graduate on time, 18 percent are diagnosed as overweight and some 760,000 are in gangs. Our challenge is that not enough people know about these critical issues, the difference Clubs are making and why they should support our Movement.

Our Donors

Although Americans are facing a tough economy, statistics show that people give more during hard economic times. This type of environment tends to reinforce the importance of investing in causes that demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness in transforming donations into positive change. Our challenge is that many potential donors can’t clearly distinguish what makes Clubs unique as compared to countless other causes with legitimate needs.

Our Clubs

There are more than 1 million charities in America, not to mention an increasing influx of cause-marketing initiatives driven by companies and celebrities, competing for donations. Our challenge is that the Boys & Girls Club brand must not only be relevant, but compelling enough to break through a crowded marketplace to connect with potential donors and supporters.

Now more than ever, kids need a voice, donors need clarity and Clubs need support. Our strategy must be to turn challenge into opportunity.

Signs of greatness – A nationwide outdoor advertising effort will feature youthful images of such celebrated Club alumni as Denzel Washington, actor Martin Sheen, Gen. Wesley Clark, Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee and basketball great Shaquille O’Neal.