CASE STUDY
ECHO Detroit
STRATEGY
Accounting Aid Society’s potential was being constrained by the lack of certified volunteers to prepare people’s taxes. Previous efforts were underperforming.
Based on our work with other nonprofits, we knew that Accounting Aid’s brand story needed to identify the natural progression of awareness, initial interest and attraction to the organization, along with the rewards that drove volunteer satisfaction and loyalty.
By conducting in-depth secondary research, and two rounds of research with Accounting Aid’s leadership, board, funders and volunteers, the brand story emerged. Most strikingly, it validated the differences in perspectives and motivations by those inside the organization, versus volunteers. As well as the reasons loyal volunteers stayed with Accounting Aid.
For volunteers, doing people’s taxes was important. But it was the relationships they built with clients that mattered most. Particularly when taxpayers would see the same volunteer year after year, so their relationship could naturally evolve to help clients achieve financial stability and independence.
SOLUTION
It was heartening to see how sincerely Accounting Aid’s leadership wanted to help us discover their brand story, to more effectively recruit and retain volunteers.
In conjunction with our creative partners, we developed a new logo and brand badge, built an integrated brand icon and ID system, and produced a range of creative (collateral materials, website, social media, event).
The response to the Accounting Aid rebranding has been nothing short of outstanding. Not just from Accounting Aid’s leadership, staff and volunteers, but also their board, the foundation that funded this effort, and a number of other organizations who work with Accounting Aid.
Please take a look, and you’ll see why this work has been organically shared with other nonprofits in the Detroit area. We’re proud when that happens.
