renovating your brand

A refinished website is a beautiful and powerful tool, and we don’t need a lengthy description of why that is. But just like a renovated home, the shiny outcome is the product of blood, sweat, tears, and probably some beer. Take a look at how we stripped 70×7 Life Recovery back to its studs and reimagined their whole brand.

1. vision

Joanna Gaines taught us well. To build something new, you’ve got to have a vision. What are the goals of the nonprofit? Increased donations is always a must-have, but what about website traffic? Event attendance? A need for experienced staff? For 70×7, their must-have list looked like this:

• Build a donor base to sustain them financially
  
• Attract passionate mentors with a strong brand
  
• Better recognition as a re-entry program instead of a rehab facility

2. demolition

This is our research process. (A lot less exciting than smashing a wall, we know). But the concept is the same: Get rid of the fluff and find out what is truly important at the heart of the brand. For 70×7, we discovered their key components were:

• Going the Extra Mile: 70×7 Life Recovery looks beyond getting somebody a job. They take the time to get to know the member and to match them with the right job and resources. The mentorship doesn’t stop once a job is secured, unlike a lot of the competition.
• Rooted in Faith: 70×7 Life Recovery is the only faith-based organization offering a complete and results-driven program. The name 70×7 comes from Bible verses Matthew 18:21-22: “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’”
• Real-World Relatability: A significant percentage of the 70×7 staff are ex-offenders, are in drug or alcohol recovery, or have been directly affected by someone who is. This helps them in recruiting participants and working with them as they can understand their situation in a unique, real-world sense. 
• Impact in Numbers: Lastly, 70×7 Life Recovery’s recidivism rate is under 4%, compared to 68% nationally and 28% for the state of Michigan. This makes their success rate over 96%!

3. foundation

Would you buy a house with a failing foundation? No. So why would a donor give to a brand with a weak foundation? A brand needs to be strong, solid, and timeless. This includes the logo, colors, type, and key messages. Having this sets the entire organization up for success for decades to come. Here is a look at the foundation we laid for 70×7:

See the full brand here

4. crunch-time

Now is the time that is highlighted in 3 minutes, but actually takes 3 months. This is the behind-the-scenes of building a library of images to be used, writing, re-writing, and fine-tuning copy, and finding the PERFECT doorknob for that rustic door. It’s hard work, but once you take a step back, the end result is always worth it. For 70×7, here’s what crunch time resulted in:

• E-News template
• Social Media assets
• Corporate collateral
• Library of images, all customized with a branded filter
• System of brand statements to inspire
• Fully custom website

See the full website here

5. move-in

Just like you can’t move into the new bedroom while the entire house is still ripped up, you can’t release part of your brand until the whole thing is done. See our blog on how to successfully launch your brand for more on this. Anyway, once 70×7 moved-in to their new brand, the impact was immediate. A high-giving donor said:

“I took a peek at the website last night. Like most of us, I’ve looked at hundreds, if not thousands, of websites; and frankly they don’t do much to trip my trigger. This is an incredible exception. I was absolutely floored! I literally had tears welling in my eyes. Informative, succinct & compelling narrative. Beautiful colors. I could go on and on. INCREDIBLE job team. I’m SO proud. I believe this very well might be the most well done site I’ve ever seen!”

Wow, is that how Chip and Joanna feel once they reveal the newly remodeled home? We could get used to this. #passioninspires

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