That One Time, at Re-Brand Camp…

By Dan Toland

A logo is often the first thing somebody thinks of when asked to define a “brand,” but the actual definition goes way deeper. It encompasses every touchpoint your entity has with your audiences. It’s the experiences they have, the feelings they feel, and the continuity or disjointedness of it all, depending upon how you go about it. 

For all intents and purposes, it’s pretty much the most important aspect of your organization or business. If perception truly is reality, then you better make sure you get your branding right.  

Think of companies such as Target or McDonald’s. While yes, you likely immediately envision the simple red target logo and the golden arches, but as you think deeper about each company, what else is invoked? Chances are you feel the shopping experience you get at any Target you visit, and your mouth waters just thinking of those tasty fries you can get at any of the world’s McDonald’s restaurants.

So what do people feel when encountering your brand? And how do you know if you’re going about it right? 

When Jeremy Scherf and his team from the long-lived Ohio Forestry, Wildlife and Conservation Camp contacted Shift•ology a few years back for a little bit of marketing assistance, they weren’t quite ready for what we suggested…a deep dive into totally re-branding the camp. 

While his team agreed, they likely did not fully understand what they were getting into with a full rebranding project. But Scherf said their trust in the process and the experts laid the groundwork for some amazing results. 

Scherf joined Shift•ology Vice President of Client Services and Creative, Marin Smith, on an episode of our Shooting the Shift podcast (watch or listen to it here) to recount the crazy rebranding adventure (which even included our team becoming campers for a day), and shows that beautiful things can happen when client and agency fully embrace, trust and work through a comprehensive scientific and creative approach to branding.