For More Information Contact Anita At
For more information contact Anita at
or 919-834-5200
2014 Unified Marketing Guide
What’s in this guide?
1. Goals and Message Strategy for the Unified Marketing Program
2. Templates & Photography, T-shirts, Graphic Design and Classic Graphics
3. Timetable and Deadlines
4. Copy Development Resource
Our goals
· Invite United Ways across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and elsewhere as appropriate, to commit to a common message and graphic look for 2014 marketing materials.
· Create and share a message strategy that unites United Ways regardless of their size, building on previous message strategy, and supporting the national message strategy.
· Work together using a timetable that allows maximum efficiency in printing, therefore significantly minimizing costs to all.
2014 Unified Marketing Materials Message
What this place needs is….you.
Our Call to Action
Give. Advocate. Volunteer.
Our Target Audience – Potential donors, volunteers and advocates…..
Believe they can make a difference in their community
Want to feel what they do matters
Need to feel impact is focused/tangible
Understand change takes time
Optimistic about the world and their role - big changes start with the small things
we can do
The target audience comes from the general workplace, the community at large, corporate leadership, affinity groups.
Our Focus/Impact Areas:
Education. Income. Health
United Way is transforming communities by focusing on education, income and health. These are high priorities for our donors as demonstrated by research quoted later in this document. If donors connect us to one or two of our impact areas, they are more likely to trust, get involved, and/or invest in United Way. Education, financial stability, and health are the building blocks of a good life.
What this place needs is…..you!
While United Way continues to have high brand awareness, brand comprehension still lags behind. United Way doesn’t just donate or make quick fixes. We work with local communities to figure out what a place needs and make real change. United Way’s impact can only be achieved with the help of others. Potential donors, volunteers and advocates must believe they can make a difference. With focused tangible impact work, communities can be transformed. Because great things happen when we Live United.
Our message includes an explicit ask – “Great things happen when we Live United” – Can we count you in? We know from history, experience and research that we must include an ask because people will not do anything if they are not asked or invited to participate.
Support the message
The tonality of the 2014 message is emotional and optimistic, while factual and goal-oriented. We know that United Way programs, initiatives, and partnerships create lasting change in local communities. The mindset challenge is to move United Way from a monolithic pass-through to a local community-impact organization. Use case histories, testimonials or statistic advancements as reasons to believe (the proof). United Ways should provide outcomes, examples of specific initiatives (e.g., increasing local high school graduation rate, improving financial stability and making health care available to more), etc. to emphasize United Way’s role in long-term systemic change. Including success stories, statistics (e.g., numbers of people served), and "what your dollar buys" data also supports the message strategy. People need to understand the impact of United Way’s work (head) and feel (heart) how we are improving lives. United Way must be viewed as a crucial community partner. Help your community understand the positive impact United Way has on education, financial stability and health.
Character of the United Way Brand
Inclusive
Unifying
Results-oriented
Trust-worthy (trust builds engagement)
It takes the whole community working together to reach our mutual goals.
Application - Graphic Look, Brand Standards, and Resources
Brand standards – Unified Marketing materials adhere to nationally adopted brand standards, as always. Materials emphasize use of brand colors, logo placement and portray people wearing white LIVE UNITED t-shirts. The 2014 materials also incorporate the logo lock-up with LIVE UNITED, offering localization to the left or under the logo where applicable. Below is a sample of how the new logo lock-up can be used for your reference.
The new logo lock-up was created to address 2011 research data that indicated 41% of the adult population recalled LIVE UNITED. However, the same study indicated only 18.6% of the population attributed LIVE UNITED to United Way. In an effort to strengthen the connection and increase our effectiveness, the new LU UW logo lock-up was created and now serves as the primary logo for usage in the system.
Photography
United Way of North Carolina continues to offer downloadable photography from its website at http://www.unitedwaync.org/photo-gallery. This year we are adding new image sharing capacity via a Flickr site. On the new Flickr space, individuals will be able to upload their best LU photography for sharing as well as use the best others have to offer. Be sure that you have a photo release for any photography you upload. Please upload single/group imagery (preferably with subject(s) in white LIVE UNITED t- shirts) on plain background, or against an "active" backdrop where they are volunteering as a reader, tutor, serving a meal, in a health care setting, getting help to prepare their taxes at a VITA site etc. You can access the Flickr site by clicking on the icon at http://www.unitedwaync.org/templates.
Photography that closely crops groups of people working together is an additional way to give face to how we LIVE UNITED. The white t-shirt remains the "iconic" symbol of the LIVE UNITED campaign. For uniformity, we strong recommend photo and video subjects appear in white LIVE UNITED t-shirts only.
Templates:
Templates of campaign brochures, posters, tent cards, etc. will be provided by United Way of North Carolina. You will be able to preview and download materials by visiting http://www.unitedwaync.org/templates. Templates will be available in InDesign 5 format if you wish to localize them yourself or you may use Bonnie Emadi or a local graphic designer of your choice for localization with your own text or photos. InDesign 4 and 6 should also be compatible with the templates available.
Print Resource:
Belk Printing Technologies was the Unified Marketing print resource for four years of the partnership. In January 2011, Belk was acquired by Classic Graphics. For the last three years, Classic Graphics has served as our print resource. They will continue to provide the excellent customer service and print management you are accustomed to this year. We maintain our same team of representatives at Classic Graphics in 2014 -- Malcolm McLean and Brad Gsell. You can reach Malcolm at or by calling 800-368-1056 or 704-572-3488.
Graphic Design:
Bonnie Emadi is an independent graphic designer, who worked for United Way in the past. She will continue to provide graphic design support of the Unified Marketing program at a nonprofit discount rate of $60 per hour. You may also choose to utilize a local graphic designer of your choice, or, if you have In Design, you may personalize the templates with your own text or photos.
Please make sure to contact your graphic designer of choice now to set up a schedule for production of your materials that will meet the overall deadlines outlined below.
Bonnie Emadi may be contacted at or 704-332-4966.
The Process and Timetable – Print Materials
STEP ONE:
Unified Marketing Material Orders – Spreadsheet to complete
United Way of North Carolina is sending spreadsheet order forms via email to each United Way on or before April 3. On these forms you will indicate what materials you wish to order from our printer. These quantities will be used to help determine overall cost. If you plan to use the templates, but print locally, you need not complete and return this form. Please fill out the order spreadsheet forms with the quantities you'll need and indicate which printing round you desire (Round 1 or 2). Do not order directly through Classic Graphics or you run the risk of not being included in the group pricing structure or being left off of generic materials like the Spanish brochure.
Please pay close attention to Round 1 and Round 2 designations as not all products are offered in both rounds of printing.
NC 211 Marketing Materials will be part of Round 1 printing. We will be offering a three panel brochure, a business card and a poster. You can see these items at http://www.nc211.org/index.php/marketing. 2-1-1 magnet orders will be taken separately. On the website, you can also find the standards for using the new 2-1-1 campaign, download the new logo treatment, print copies of other items like flyers and fun pieces for kids, or use the electronic items including the TV PSA, Radio PSA or the web banners.
Email your completed spreadsheet order form to by April 30.
STEP TWO:
Determine who will do your graphic design work and contact them right away or download templates from http://www.unitedwaync.org/templates and personalize.
Bonnie Emadi may be contacted at or 704-332-4966 for graphic design assistance.
STEP THREE:
Customize your materials to meet your local needs.
STEP FOUR:
First proofing process -- Once your files are completed, upload them to our Unified Marketing printer, Classic Graphics. Instructions on how to upload your files is the last page of this document. If you are using Bonnie, please note that she will handle Steps Two, Three and Four.
DEADLINES:
Round 1 Print Material Deadlines
· Classic will receive files May 19 through June 2
· Proofing from June 2 – June 9
· Revisions/changes from June 9 – June 16 (Note: $25 to switch out image or $100/hour for prep “design” work by Classic)
· Shipping date: June 30
NOTE: Any orders received after the “drop dead” date of June 2, will be considered a “stand alone” project and/or incur an upcharge or be moved to Round 2.
Round 2 Print Material Deadlines
· Classic will receive files June 16 through June 30
· Proofing from June 30 – July 7
· Revisions/changes July 7 – 14 (Note: $25 to switch out image or $100/hour for prep “design” work by Classic)
· Shipping date: July 31
NOTE: Any orders received after the “drop dead” date of June 30, will be considered a “stand alone” project and/or incur an upcharge.
STEP FIVE:
Receive proofs from Classic Graphics, review and give approval. The last United Way to approve their files will trigger printing for all materials in that run. Materials will print and ship directly to your United Way. Be sure that the address you include on your order form is your shipping address!
The Process and Timetable – T-Shirts
United Way of North Carolina is sending spreadsheet order forms via email to each United Way on or before April 3.
The white LIVE UNITED T-shirt will again be available for group order. T-shirts will be white Heavy Weight shirts. T-shirt fronts will have the words LIVE UNITED.
T-shirt backs will have black and white special usage logo with the potential for localization. UWNC will also offer a black LIVE UNITED T-shirt which should primarily be used for special events and should not be shown in printed marketing materials or other media. Localization will be offered at no charge for shirt orders of 100 or more. A $25 fee for localization will apply to orders of less than 100 shirts. WHITE t-shirts will cost $3.20 each for sizes S-XL and youth sizes. Sizes XXL+ add $1.00 more. BLACK t-shirts will cost $4.65 each for sizes S-XL and youth sizes. Please add $1.00 more for sizes XXL+. Quoted costs include shipping. The t-shirt vendor is an UWW licensed source.
Round 1 T-shirt Deadline – Orders received via spreadsheet by April 30. Delivery on or before June 13. Be sure that the address you include on your order form is your shipping address!
Round 2 T-shirt Deadline – Orders received via spreadsheet by April 30 or additional orders received by June 13 will have delivery on or before August 1. You will get a reminder about ordering shirts for Round 2. Be sure that the address you include on your order form is your shipping address!
2011 COPY DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES
Special Thanks to Paige Mone for creating this resource guide in 2011. It is still a valuable tool, so we continue to offer it as a guide for your text development.
(Source: UWW's LIVE UNITED Message Platform Communications Guide)
Why United Way?
On United Way's value-add: Our role must be distinguished from our goals
* United Way mobilizes (community) resources to create long-term social change.
* United Way connects a diverse set of individuals and organizations to mobilize (community) resources that create long-term social change (build a stronger, safer, healthier community) (right here in XXXX city or county).
* United Way recruits individuals and organizations from all across our community who bring the passion, expertise, and resources to get things done (create long-term social change) (right here in XXXX city or county).
Please note that these word choices are purposeful.
"recruit" means United Way is looking for the best and wants to engage you.
"all across our community" suggests we all have a stake and a responsibility.
"passion" connects emotionally and says there is real commitment.
"expertise" conveys that United Way has the connections to those who know what to do.
"get things done" is about solving problems - not about raising money.
United Way advances the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all. Our focus is on Education, Income, and Health, because these are the "building blocks" for a better a good quality of life for each of us.
We recruit the people and organizations from all across our community who bring the needed passion, expertise, and resources needed to get things done.
We engage the community in setting a vision and priorities.
We work together to build strategies to reach the community's goals.
We get commitments of time, money, and expertise to advance those strategies.
We measure the effectiveness of the strategies.
We report back, and adjust the strategies when needed.
For a building to be stable for the long term, it needs a strong, solid foundation. The same is true in a community, and the "building blocks" for a solid life are a good education, financial stability, and quality health care.