School may be out, but summer is actually a great time to learn. Longer, brighter days are energizing — and offer more time to go deep.
In 2024, we launched Summer School, a two-month course covering the foundations of brand development. Explore the first semester in case you missed it.
This year’s curriculum builds on those fundamentals to help you grow your brand’s relevance, reach and recognition.
From brand architecture to campaign activation, here’s what we’ll cover:
Week 1: Brand Architecture
Clear brand architecture helps audiences understand who you are and all that you have to offer.
We’ll explore the moving parts of your organization — from signature programs to annual events — and how they are organized for maximum clarity and impact. This session will help you:
- Assess your current brand architecture
- Organize your offerings more clearly
- Make it easier for audiences to find what they need
Read the brand architecture session here.
Week 2: Naming
A name is your organization’s story in its shortest form. It should reflect your strategy, convey your unique value and stand apart from peers in just one to a few words. That’s a lot to ask of a name.
That’s why behind every successful naming effort, you’ll find a thoughtful strategic and creative process. In this session, we’ll help you:
- Develop a clear naming brief
- Generate and evaluate name options
- Select and socialize a final name
Week 3: Marketing and Communications Planning
Your organization makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives — more people should know about it and get involved. To break through the noise and reach the right audiences, a thoughtful marketing and communications plan is essential.
We’ll explore the elements of a successful marketing and communications plan, whether you’re re-engaging lapsed donors or recruiting participants for a new program. This session will help you:
- Identify your target audiences and key motivators
- Set SMART goals, objectives and KPIs
- Define strategies, tactics and priority channels
Read the marketing and communications planning session here.
Week 4: Campaign Activation
A campaign brings your story into the world to inspire engagement. It creates new connections, deepens relationships and connects audience action to mission impact.
We’ll guide you through the process of developing attention-grabbing campaigns rooted in strategy that turn passive followers into active supporters. This session will help you:
- Understand the internal and external factors shaping your campaign
- Develop a campaign framework, including a theme, story and priorities
- Create verbal and visual expressions that bring your campaign to life
Read the campaign activation session here.
By the end of the semester, you’ll have practical tools to strengthen your brand and expressions so more people can understand what you do, engage with you and take action.
We’re excited to get started — see you next week!
