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United Way Worldwide is one of the world’s largest nonprofits with thousands of local United Ways across 37 countries and territories. While no two are alike, local United Ways share a commitment to improve lives in their communities and around the world.
In 2022, new leadership had ambitious plans to diversify the organization’s audiences and increase awareness and understanding of United Way on a global level. Additive was engaged to help clarify United Way’s brand identity, refine their story and unify the entire network around shared brand expressions and experiences.
Key Deliverables
From day one and throughout the brand revitalization process, we engaged the full network of local United Ways to ensure collaboration and co-creation. We began by conducting interviews and discussion groups with almost 100 key stakeholders and surveyed more than 700 staff and 6,000 prospective donors in 16 countries to identify perceptions of and opportunities for the brand. We also analyzed United Way’s communications and peers to find opportunities for differentiation.
Our analysis revealed clear defining strengths and impact areas, as well as an opportunity to infuse more meaning into the United Way name. From advancing healthy community and youth opportunity to strengthening financial security and local resiliency, United Way is mobilizing communities to action so all can thrive.
Building on the new brand strategy, we worked with the United Way team to create brand tools — from a messaging toolkit to brand architecture guidance to an implementation plan — to unify the global network and address the needs of every local United Way. And to bring the brand to life, we created a dynamic visual identity system inspired by United Way’s bold commitment to local communities. From color and typography to graphic elements and photography, each component of the identity works together to form a flexible, but cohesive, system.
To prepare local United Ways to implement the new verbal and visual identity, Additive developed training materials for the global network. 392 local United Ways signed on to be early adopters of the brand, including representation from all 50 states and 13 international United Ways. Over 500 United Way leaders and staff completed a four-part brand training leading up to the public launch of the refreshed brand.
Equipped with the refreshed brand strategy, messaging, architecture and visual system, United Way was ready to elevate its identity, engage new audiences and expand its impact around the world. To coincide with Women United, an annual event that connects and activates women effecting real change in their communities, United Way revealed the refreshed brand, setting the stage for a broader brand rollout, which included a PSA campaign and new website.
Additive worked with United Way to develop a comprehensive set of campaign tools — from a detailed launch strategy to customizable digital and print assets — all centered around a galvanizing campaign theme: United is the Way™. By activating the organization’s name into a declarative statement of purpose, “United is the Way” invites all people and communities to take action and make greater impact, together.
In October 2024, United Way publicly revealed its refreshed brand to great acclaim. In its first week, the rebrand and the United is the Way™ campaign was covered by PRWeek, Adweek, The Associated Press, and numerous local outlets in communities around the world. From a global PSA to social media content to community activations and more, the refreshed brand and campaign inspired audiences to give back, get involved and take action with United Way.
True to their promise of community mobilization, United Way partnered with Paramount Global to host the United Way Benefit for Hurricane Relief, a one-hour fundraising special. Airing on CBS and CMT and streaming live on Paramount+, the benefit rallied support for communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton’s $50 billion in damages. By bringing people together to address urgent needs in their communities and country, the event affirmed that United is the Way to rebuild today and shape a stronger tomorrow.
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