ELCFV Brand Strategy

Brand Strategy
Running head: ELCFV Brand Strategy

Brand Strategy: The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc.
Mason McKenzie
Digital Storytelling and Branding
Full Sail University
June 2, 2019

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ELCFV Brand Strategy

Abstract

This paper presents a brand strategy for and an analysis of the current brand elements of

The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc. This strategy accounts for the

current brand expression and provides suggestions for improvements in the branding efforts of

The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc. This paper discusses brand

elements of name, identity, business card, tagline, archetype, mission statement, brand story,

promotion plan, target market, and competitive differentiators. The goal of this paper is to

provide a formal evaluation of current brand expression and outline a strategy for improving

consistency in all material and marketing for The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and

Volusia Counties, Inc.

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Introduction

A brand is what customers perceive it to be. As technology changes, it is increasingly

important for nonprofits to cultivate their online image as diligently as their face-to-face one.

Engaging donors, sponsors, grantors, and volunteers requires a solid brand strategy and online

and offline strategies that compliment each other. This paper evaluates the strength of The Early

Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc.’s brand elements and provides

guidelines for improving its strategy.

ELCFV Brand Strategy Elements

Brand Name
According to “The 7 Criteria For A Good Name” in The Brand Gap, a good brand name will

possess the following traits. The brand name effectiveness of The Early Learning Coalition of

Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc. is analyzed.

1. Distinctiveness: This Early Learning Coalition is one of many across the state of Florida.

While there is only one ELC of Flagler and Volusia, there are many Early Learning

Coalitions. This leads to ambiguity when clients cross county lines. At the same time,

clients in need of services are easily able to identify the ELCFV as the supplier of their

needed service when served by another ELC in the state. One issue with this is the

expectation that all Early Learning Coalitions offer the exact same services and have the

same funding available. In other words, the name recognition leads to incorrect brand

association.

2. Brevity: The brand name consists of nine words. This is well above the recommended

number of two words. Because of this, the name fails to meet the brevity criterium.

3. Appropriateness: The name is appropriate to the services provided by the brand. A

synonym for coalition is partnership. The brand serves as a partner to clients in all aspects

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ELCFV Brand Strategy

of early learning. Further, ELCFV is known to forge partnerships in the community to

further early learning goals for the entire service area. Their name describes both what

they do and where they do it. For these reasons, the criterium of appropriateness is met by

their current name.

4. Easy Spelling and Pronunciation: For most, The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and

Volusia Counties, Inc. is sufficiently easy to spell and pronounce. The word “coalition” is

potentially too difficult to spell and pronounce for second language speakers and clients

who obtained less education than high school.

5. Likability: The brand’s name is strong albeit governmental-sounding. While the name is

long, it inspires trust.

6. Extendibility: The brand’s name is not extendable. Because ELCFV’s business model is

not product-based, and its main services are set by Florida statute, the extendibility of its

name is a nonissue.

7. Protectability: This name is owned and protected by The Early Learning Coalition of

Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc.

The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc. is the brand’s legal name.

It is commonly referred to by clients and employees as the Early Learning Coalition, ELCFV, or

ELC. The business name was established by Florida State legislation and is similar to the group

of similar nonprofits across the state, i.e. The Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, The

Early Learning Coalition of Brevard County, etc. For this reason, a change to the name is not

possible for this business.

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Brand Identity
The glossary definition of Corporate Identity in The Brand Gap is “The brand identity of

a company, consisting of its visual identifiers such as the name, trademark, typography, and

colors.” The typography of the brand is either undefined or unenforced. This conclusion stems

from the variation in font choice across social media, print materials, and the website. Having

discussed the brand’s name at length in the section above, the focus of this section will be the

colors and logo associated with The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties,

Inc.

ELCFV’s colors are eggplant purple and light blue. According to the Role and

Importance of Colour in Marketing, “Purple is a colour of royal, spirituality and dignity.” Given

this information alone, the color is not an appropriate fit for a brand focused on early education;

however, the article continues later to reveal “Researchers have studied impact of colour on

children. It is found that 75% of preadolescent children prefer purple colour the most.” This

means purple is an excellent choice for a brand focused on preadolescent children.

ELCFV’s second color, blue, “is a colour of calmness, stability, sincerity, and

cleanliness” which “has become associated with persistence, dependability and loyalty.” The

traits of stability, sincerity, dependability, and loyalty are all consistent with the brand.

The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc. logo consists of

purple lettering spelling out the brand’s name, replacing the word “and” with an ampersand, over

a bright blue kite flying upward. According to the research report The Visual Asymmetry Effect:

An Interplay of Logo Design and Brand Personality on Brand Equity, “asymmetrical logos tend

to be perceived as more exciting than symmetrical logos.” The ELCFV logo is asymmetrical,

therefore, it is more visually exciting than a symmetrical logo.

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ELCFV Brand Strategy

Both the logo and the colors of the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia

Counties, Inc. are consistent with the brand. No change is recommended.

Business Card
An effective business card will include appropriate typography, the company’s logo,

quality paper, and a creative layout (5 Essential Elements of An Effective Business Card). For

the purposes of ELCFV’s business, an interesting shape risks portraying an unprofessional image

and is therefore undesirable.

The typography used on ELCFV’s business card is appropriately conservative. The use of

a serif font makes it easier to read. The company’s logo is present on both the front and back of

the card. This is good for brand recognition, regardless of which way the card is facing. Though

not evident in the screenshots below, the weight of the paper used is adequate to portray

professionalism without being excessive. Excessive paper weight suggests high quality, but in

the case of a nonprofit can be perceived as wasteful. The layout itself is standard. There is

nothing excessively creative about the format; however, the card serves its purpose well and

provides adequate information in a legible format. As the ELCFV brand does not ascribe to the

values of the Creator archetype, no changes are suggested at this time.

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ELCFV Brand Strategy

Tagline
The aim of a tagline is to add a unique and clever take on a brand’s raison d’être. “In a

few choice words, the tagline should epitomize what you're all about” (McGinty). ELCFV’s

existing tagline is “Never too early to learn…” The intent of this tagline is to explain the need for

early education of young children in the community; however, the message is not successful. The

focus on early education stems from the knowledge that the vast majority of neural pathways are

created between birth and three. The phrasing of “Never too early to learn” fails to adequately

express that children need to learn early. The tagline also fails to describe why ELCFV is

invested in early education opportunities.

The recommendation is to replace the existing tagline with one that more succinctly

captures the spirit of why ELCFV is engaged in its work, such as “Success starts at birth” or “A

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ELCFV Brand Strategy

better tomorrow starts at birth.” These taglines are more successful, because they focus on the

importance of learning from birth.

Brand Messaging
Brand Archetype
Defining a brand’s archetype helps to center messaging and create a cohesive face of the

brand. According to results of the Brand Archetype quiz, available through Kate Payum website,

The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc. scored highest in the

Caregiver and Girl/Guy Next Door archetypes. Upon further exploration, the definition of the

Caregiver most closely matches the current perception of ELCFV.

Culturetalk.com defines the Caregiver archetype as “the first ones to lend a hand, an ear,

or a shoulder…They want to see their employees and customers learn and grow and they’ll

support them unconditionally.” The aspects of the brand that are consistent with this archetype

include: core values, services provided, physical office space, and most social media

communication.

Employees are introduced to the Core Values of ELCFV from day one of employment

and coached through ways to better exemplify them at work. The list of these values is

accompanied by an explanation of its fit with the Caregiver archetype.

1. Assume Positive Intent: By assuming positive intent in all communication, employees are

able to focus on the client’s needs without prejudice. This is in line with Caregiver

values.

2. Be Effective: Effective use of time and resources allows ELCFV to allocate the

maximum amount of funding and resources to helping clients. This places the focus on

what is best for the client, which means it is in line with Caregiver values.

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ELCFV Brand Strategy

3. Choose Responsibility: For ELCFV, choosing responsibility means taking ownership of

the issue at hand, regardless of whose “fault” it is. This value is more in line with the

Ruler archetype, which focuses on leading the way to what is right, regardless of what is

popular. Because this falls into an archetype outside of Caregiver, it can be perceived as

incongruent with the main brand voice.

4. Deliver Excellent Customer Service: Ensuring all clients feel welcomed and cared for is

part of excellent customer service. When clients feel ELCFV employees truly care, they

are more likely to perceive the ELCFV brand as unconditionally supportive, which is in

line with Caregiver values.

5. Embrace Your Fun: This directive is for employees. Burnout is common in the nonprofit

industry, especially in the area of child welfare. Maintaining a fun working environment

where possible helps prevent the shadow side of the Caregiver archetype. For this reason,

it is in line with Caregiver values.

6. Find the Solution that Best Helps the Child: Focus on the welfare of each child is perhaps

the most central of the core values at ELCFV. This ensures decisions are based on what is

best for children and not necessarily what is least inconvenient for the adults in the

situation. This value is in line with Caregiver values.

ELCFV exists to help families in need. They offer services in a safe environment, with

trauma-informed care. Their interview style is conversational, and they ask follow-up questions,

placing emphasis on all client needs, not just childcare services. Those things are all consistent

with the archetype.

Some aspects of the brand’s expression fall short of this ideal, such as the website’s tone

and the lack of quality mobile user experience of the site.

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ELCFV Brand Strategy

the core values and personality of ELCFV place clients, employees and partners above all

else. The brand exists to support families and encourage the healthy development of children.

Mission Statement
A mission statement is defined in The Brand Gap as “a concise statement of the purpose

or aspirations of an organization.” A good mission statement should be focused on the main

activity of the brand, short in nature, and easily understood. According to Do Mission Statements

Matter for Nonprofit Performance: “nonprofit leaders should craft mission statements that

convey the activities of their organization.” A well-written statement will not use convoluted

language or refer to more than the main function of an organization.

The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc. has a current mission

statement. As found on the homepage of their website, its mission is “To enhance children’s

school readiness by providing opportunities for quality early learning, while strengthening family

stability for a healthy community.” Measured against the above-mentioned definition of a

mission statement, this statement is far too long. In addition to its excessive length, the structure

used is convoluted and contains a grammar error. The existing mission statement refers to four

(4) different focuses of the organization: (1) enhancing children’s school readiness, (2) providing

opportunities for quality early learning, (3) strengthening families, and (4) the health of the

community. It is recommended that a more concise mission statement replace the existing

statement.

A good mission statement for The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia

Counties, Inc. will focus on the main mission of the organization. It will portray a genuine focus

on others. The recommendation is to replace the existing twenty-word statement with the

following: “To reduce barriers to quality early learning experiences for local children”. This

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ELCFV Brand Strategy

statement focuses on one action, namely reducing barriers, and is sufficiently specific without

pigeon-holing the organization.

Brand Story
Defined in The Brand Gap, the Brand Story is “The articulation of a brand as a narrative;

a coherent set of messages that articulate the meaning of a brand”. An effective brand story will

be emotionally appealing and portray the core values of the brand. This story was produced by

the author as part of coursework for Digital Storytelling and Branding.

The Brand Story followed a typical client experience. A single mother of two young

children was working full time at minimum wage. Because she worked full time, she needed care

for her two children. The typical cost of licensed child care for her two children was more than

she brought home. When she came to The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia

Counties, Inc., she did not know what to do. ELCFV helped her by helping her pay for care and

providing resources to help her rise out of poverty. Her entire family benefited from their

experience with ELCFV: one child was entering kindergarten ready to learn, and the client

herself was improving her education while working.

Based on this one story, ELCFV is portrayed as a helpful, welcoming brand where

families get the resources they need. In this story, ELCFV means quality early learning,

reduction of barriers, and helpful resources.

Promotion Plan
The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc. benefits from a fair

amount of brand recognition in the nonprofit realm. Much of this recognition has been hard won

through face-to-face interaction. Recently, ELCFV activity on Instagram and Facebook has

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increased. To continue to increase brand awareness, ELCFV will need to focus on the following

additional strategies:

1. Social Media

a. YouTube: The brand currently has a channel; however, the videos include some

outdated information. An active YouTube channel with strategic video content

will increase traffic and brand awareness while helping boost the credibility rating

of the ELCFV website on Google.

b. Twitter: ELCFV does not currently have an account on Twitter. Use of Twitter

and strategic hashtags will increase brand awareness and allow for live

information sharing. This can increase customer’s perception of the brand’s

accessibility, solidifying its role as a people-focused Caregiver brand.

2. Email Marketing

a. Mailchimp: The brand currently uses Mailchimp for general newsletter sent to all

donors. Promoting newsletter signups and segmenting these donors will allow for

personalization that will increase donor engagement.

3. Search Engine Marketing

a. Search Engine Optimization: Currently, ELCFV’s website is not optimized.

When searching Google for “help paying daycare daytona beach fl”, the ELCFV

website appears after ELC of Big Bend and needhelppayingbills.com. Moreover,

only the homepage appears on Google instead of the more appropriate “School

Readiness” page. Investing in an upgraded website that does not block SEO

crawlers with complicated HTML and focusing on quality copy with defined key

words for each page will improve usability and the customer experience.

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ELCFV Brand Strategy

b. Content Marketing: Once the website is updated and optimized, quality articles

about ELCFV activity and services which link to quality outside sources will be

beneficial to driving traffic to the site and increasing authority. Quality content

will also increase the brand’s credibility in the minds of clients and potential

donors.

4. Events

a. Events: ELCFV attends an average of three organized community events per

month. While the focus of these events is on services for potential clients, cross-

promotion for potential volunteers and donors will lead to increased community

participation. Promoting social media accounts and newsletter signups will

increase brand awareness and loyalty.

Market Research for ELCFV

Target Market

The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc. has several target

audiences. For the purposes of this analysis, the target audience analyzed is the potential donors.

The target market consists of residents of the Flagler and Volusia Counties, located on the east

coast of north Florida. They are families and potential families who care about the future of local

economy and children. They make 300% or more the Federal Poverty Level, meaning they are

financial stable.

Potential donors perceive themselves to be generous and financial stable. According to

An Investigation of the Characteristics of Australian Charitable Donors, these individuals are

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more likely to donate than those who perceive themselves to be less generous and/or less

financially stable.

Competitive Differentiators
To preface this section, the nature of ELCFV’s work uses community partnerships which

are leveraged for the greater good of the entire community. The term “competitor” for this

analysis is used to identify those nonprofits whose services are similar to those of ELCFV and

thus could be appealing to the same pool of local donors. All of the named competitors hold

contracts and/or memoranda of understanding with ELCFV for various funding and services.

These competitors are Mid Florida Community Services Head Start/Early Head Start, Easterseals

Northeast Central Florida, and United Way Volusia-Flagler for their Help Me Grow Florida

program.

One competitive advantage is rooted in its very existence. The Early Learning Coalition

of Flagler and Volusia Counties, Inc. is the designated administrator of the School Readiness

(SR) and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs. It is the only entity receiving federal

funding passed through the states to manage local child care contracts and administer subsidies

to eligible families for these two programs.

Its second competitive advantage lies in its commitment to partnerships. Instead of

wasting resources on duplicative services, ELCFV maintains partnerships with its perceived

competitors, allowing it to leverage its funding where the community need is greatest. One

example of this leverage of partnerships is with the local Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

programs. Representatives from Mid Florida Community Services Head Start/Early Head Start

and United Way Volusia-Flagler serve on the Task Force for this program while ELCFV is the

lead and fiscal agency.

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