Considering an NGO name change? 6 tips from those who have reimagined a brand

Changing your organization’s name can have huge benefits in terms of attracting new funders, crystallizing strategy and re-energizing staff — and can serve as a powerful tool to communicate the essence of what you do, according to three NGOs who have recently been through the process. Many nonprofits, especially those founded in the last century, find themselves in need of a brand revamp in order to keep up with evolving priorities and new directions. Devex spoke to Global Communities, Landesa, and PYXERA Global who have all recently reimagined their image. Here’s what the executives who led those efforts learned along the way: 1. Be clear about why you’re rebranding. Before starting the rebranding process, it’s important to have a clear idea of why you are doing it, according to vice president, communications and public affairs at Global Communities, David Humphries. “It’s rebranding not witness protection, you’re not doing it to hide something,” he said. For Global Communities, the organization’s name had become a misnomer and was holding them back as they looked to diversify their funding, Humphries said, and so a refresh was long overdue. In its previous incarnation, Global Communities was the Foundation for Cooperative Housing, and did exactly what its name implies. However, as the organization grew and started working in new sectors and countries, the name became less and less relevant. In 2010, with a new CEO on board, the NGO decided it was time for a change. “When you try and start opening doors with other funders, the first thing people ask is what the name stands for and we had to admit that we were no longer cooperative, we don’t do much in housing, and we are not a foundation,” Humphries said. Since undergoing their makeover, Humphries said fundraising and outreach had become “significantly easier,” and their balance sheet confirms this — the NGO has diversified its funding and now generates between 30-40 percent of its revenue from other, non-USAID, donors; previously the U.S. Agency for International Development accounted for 90 percent of its funding. 2. Bring in third party to get the honest truth. When PYXERA decided to overhaul their brand, the organization initially tried to do it in-house, Katie Levey, director of media relations, explained. However, when they realized just how much was involved in the process, they decided to call in an outside agency. PYXERA was formerly CDC Development Solutions, which Levey said often meant they were confused with the Center for Disease Control. Global Communities also decided to outsource the renaming process, which Humphries said this was partly to make sure the process was objective. “It felt important to get someone external who would tell us the truth and be candid,” Humphries explained. The consultant carried out workshops at the NGO’s headquarters, as well as more than 60 interviews with staff from their main funders, on top of interviewing beneficiaries in the field to “really get a sense of what the organization was about,” he said. It was from these interviews that the Global Communities’ new identity emerged and solidified, he said. “We got a very clear sense of who we are through this process, and in a lot of ways this was who we thought we were, but it wasn’t being reflected in the name,” he added. 3. What’s in a name? Changing an organization’s name can be tricky, especially if staff are attached to the original name. That’s why Global Communities took the naming business very seriously and hired a naming expert to help with the process. Humphries said he looked at an initial list of 250 names, and also brought his own creative energies to the table. Considerations included finding a name that wasn’t copyrighted, and avoiding one that could easily be “reduced to letters.” In the end he presented four names to the NGO’s board, and they chose the winner. In changing their name, Landesa also opted for professional help, which Hanstad said was “well worth it.” The firm recommended opting for a made up name which consisted of only one word. Hanstad described the logic behind this: “A one word name is always easier to remember, and a made up name is something you can pour your brand into, you can define it and shape it,” he said. PYXERA put a lot of thought into the development of their name, which comes from the fusion of two words: pyxis, a Greek word for navigational device, and terra, Latin for earth, Levey explained. She said the combination of the two works captured the “essence” of how the company views itself, as “guiding companies around the earth to explore new markets.” The name also has the benefit of being a “blank slate,” Levey said, on which the company could place meaning. PYXERA applied the same careful thought to developing its logo, which depicts multiple different colored triangles interlocking with a white space in the center. This represents the public, private and social sectors coming together, with PYXERA as the white space, Levey said. While Levey acknowledges getting the nuances of a name and brand change just right is a time consuming and expensive nonprogrammatic cost, it is worth it to create a “powerful tool that can communicate the essence of what you do without you even having to enter the room,” she said. 4. Get internal buy-in. Landesa, formerly known as the Rural Development Institute, is another organization that was stuck with a descriptive name that “inaccurately described what we did and what we were about,” according to Tim Hanstad, co-founder of the organization which works on securing land rights for people in developing countries. The organization officially changed its name to Landesa in 2011. One of the major lessons learned during the process was the importance of being participatory and inclusive with staff. To make this happen, Landesa’s senior management formed an internal committee which included staff and a board member, to carry out interviews and conduct focus groups among the staff, board, and external stakeholders. “The key was making sure that staff and other key stakeholders were involved in the process, able to express their views, and were kept informed,” Hanstad said. 5. Reassure external groups you haven’t been taken over. Developing a narrative for why you changed your name, and then communicating it clearly and repeatedly, is key to ensuring your clients, donors and other stakeholders don’t get confused and think your organization has been taken over or merged, Levey said. “You have to follow up and keep reminding people about your name change — it’s deliberate, it’s the crystallization of an organization strategy,” she said. 6. Be vigilant about imposing your new name and brand. “There was a big concern that it would take a long time for people, both inside and outside of the organization, to absorb the new name,” Hanstad said. However, in reality the change happened much faster than expected, so much so that a year later, people outside of the organization could barely remember the old name. Hanstad credits that to the vigilance with which the change was made: “We did a very quick and thorough rebrand and our communication team was excellent in executing it and looking for opportunities to hammer home the new brand,” he said. Check out more insights and analysis for global development leaders like you, and sign up as an Executive Member to receive the information you need for your organization to thrive.