Human Services Network of Colorado

Integrated Campaign

Research, brand strategy, brand articulation, positioning, integrated marketing campaign, corporate Identity, print collateral and website (design and development)

Human Services Network of Colorado is a nonprofit organization that works to provide the most relevant workshop topics that arm the folks working on the front lines of human services with the knowledge they need so they can do their best work. The training sessions are the organization’s bread and butter. They were looking to update the organization’s marketing message and expand the training services to more people.

The Network reached out and asked if we wanted to be part of their agency partner search. After several conversations with the executive director and board members, it was clear, Bianca e Nero was the agency they needed and wanted to help them with the rebranding project, so we got to work immediately.

Starting with discovery, we spoke with the folks who utilize the organization’s services. We quickly uncovered an interesting nugget: while the human services workers are overworked, with very long hours, they remain optimistic and continue to believe they are changing people’s lives for the better but rarely have the opportunity to meet with fellow service workers to share, compare notes and learn what’s new and coming their way. That insight led us to an interesting positioning, one that would celebrate the human services workers.

The campaign concept was developed around the believers … a nod to the selfless work they do, letting them know we support them with their ongoing need for keeping their skills sharp and current with assessable in-person and online training. To tell the bigger story on the website, we created the believers poem-type intro that sets the stage for who we are talking to and how we see them. Overall, those working in human services don’t spend a great deal of time online, so we wanted to consolidate the site, reduced the number of pages, streamlined the message and made learning about the organization easy to find and joining even easier with boxes showcasing the upcoming events. All parts of the site can be viewed in a matter of minutes compared to the older site, which was cumbersome, difficult to navigate and find the events and join pages.

We also wanted the campaign to show the wide range of people working in the human services field, so we created the many faces of the industry, the ages, the diversity, etc., thus to speak to their selflessness in a real and authentic way. All the campaign elements are infused with that thinking.

It also became obvious the logo was not going to work with the positioning and branding, so we tackled it as well, again focusing on the impact being made by those working in human services and the lasting ripples of change they are making. We reimagined the ripple effect with the core thought that work done for good has a lasting, reverberating effect and we captured movement using colors that are bright and inviting and further the thought that the Network is a resource for them.

Result:
It’s very early in the rebranding launch, but the initial feedback has been positive. Those for whom the campaign was designed to reach and inspire are embracing it, and some are starting to refer to themselves and their colleagues in human services as the Believers.