I ♥ Chicago
Great creativity only happens with great input and this city breathes creativity and not just as a candidate for the Olympics or in the theater district and places like Millennium Park but just in the way it carries itself. They are creative not because they decided to be, but simply because they are. This comes out in their architecture, the shopping, advertising, even a free trolley rolling around the city…they have a personality and it shows.
That’s why we start every branding and logo project with a somewhat long questionnaire that doesn’t just ask the normal questions, but digs into the personality and story of the church. Often I will have a church tell me they want to reach families, or college students, or increase diversity…but the bottom line is you will be a church for families not when you decide to be, but simply when you are one.
You see, we can develop a campaign that attracts (fill in the blank) but unless you are ready for them, genuinely understand them and serve their specific needs it will simply become an exercise. It is not enough to set the expectations you must, at the very least, fulfill the expectations and to really be recognized blow their mind.
Do you need to dig deeper? Let’s talk.
Tags: branding, identity, logo, personality
I’m headed to Chicago in the summer – I’m really looking forward to it, I’ve never been before.
I agree with your point about needing to find out more about a church before you can effectively ‘market’ it. I think that sometimes there is a tendency to just throw out literature like church brochure, leaflets and other outreach printing without really understanding the needs of the people who are likely to be attracted by such things.
I see so many horrible church brochures, I’d just really like people to put more thought into the writing and production of the things. When I do see a good brochure, it really brightens up my day, even if it’s for an organization with which I have no affiliation.