marketing

Event Branding for NPOs

Funding raising and advocacy are the most common methods of NPOs to reach its target audience. For NPOs, whichever fields, events are always the keys. A successful event can share the vision, build consensus and attract sponsors to help the organization to go further.

So is there anything to do with branding? In fact, to run an event as a brand can make it a long term business with strategy and creativities, such as naming, slogan, key visual and applications, just like what a brand possesses.

For small-medium NPOs, with limited resources, event branding can elevate the image and influence.

Case Study

Three types of NPOs events and examples

ere are three types of event branding and successful examples.

※ Advocacy, creating a recognizable symbol

“UK SAYS NO MORE” serves not only a name but also a call to action. With a cyan circle in the middle and capital, bold, gray texts, it strongly calls for viewers’ attention to domestic abuse and sexual violence. It also voices for the victims and helps them to get back to the track. With years of offline events and campaigns like #WHATICANDO, Woman with a Vision and #ListeningFromHome, it once earned ad sponsorship for 100 million USD, 200 media exposures and reached 100 million audiences.

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※ Tradition, bringing new perspectives

tiff is a film festival derived from Canada. Now after four decades, it has became an iconically international film festival that is often considered to be the “starting gun” of the Oscars. Following the vision “transform the way people see the world through film,” tiff shifted its perspectives according to the global currents. For instance, in 2013 it raised “What’s Your Festival Personality;” in 2016 “INFINITE VIEWS,” and in 2020 “Stay At Home Cinema,” each with different and inspiring visuals. It also pretty much says the personality of Toronto, a vivid and diverse city.

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※Recruitment, rebelling to attract

Name | mymymy
Organization | Kyoto City University of Arts
History | 13 years
Website | https://is.gd/rSKWT0

mymymy, as a guidebook for university freshmen, is well known for it fun and practicality, and thus is praised as the best student guidebook. Its core lies in “STUDENT TODAY” to offer comprehensive QAs for 4.5 thousand high school graduates. However, It looks more like a magazine with eye-catching design and visuals. It also has event merch like T-shirts and totes. Addressing the message “do you, be you” in 2019, mymymy provides a friendly starts for the newbies to explores their new phase of life.

Work with an agency

Naming, slogan and identity

The truth is that event identity design and event visual design are different thing. The former is like a brand identity design, while the latter is more like a campaign. Before NPOs turn to a design agency, it is recommended to think about the following questions to make a better cooperation.

The goal

● Is it a regular event or a one-time event?
● Who is your target, the consumers, sponsors or collaborators? Do you have customized communication plan for each group?
● What is the unique selling point (USP) of this event?

Name and slogan

● Any memorable name? Here are brand naming ideas for you : http://shorturl.at/noHQR\ ● Names in different language? Any connection in between?
● How will you describe event mission in one sentence?

Event identity

● Is it a regular event that needs to build its identity?
● Can the identity be applied to online and offline touch points?
● How about creating five senses experience?

Work with an agency

Web and merch

Official website

It is better to have an official website for a regular event so that people can get everything they need to know about it. If is is a one-time campaign, you can have a one-page website, an interesting and engaging one.

Merchandise

Cool and fun merchandise can enhance the experience and memory even after the participants leave the event. For regular ones, you can even make the yearly merch into a collection. And don’t forget to build visual connection between event identity and merch.

Conclusion

Word-leading event marketing agency BIZZABO suggests that the foundation of event is to bring attendees closer together. The so called attendees includes consumers, sponsors and partners, and of course, NPOs.

For consumers, try to leave a good impression that makes them want to come back. For sponsors and partners, show them that they earn positive image by working with you. Event branding certainly help you to go further. Try to incorporate the points mentioned above the next time you hold an event.

See our non-profit event cases:

※ TalkUX https://reurl.cc/b5x04v\ ※ Re/compose https://www.recompose.tw/

Image sources: UK SAYS NO MORE、STUDENT TODAY、京都芸術大学広報室、tiff

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