Brand Communication Four Ways: A Solve for Any Challenge

From brand extensions and facelifts to articulation of a new outlook, successful communication starts with knowing who you are.

You might say we’re in the business of helping people say what they mean and mean what they say. Whether the ask is related to public relations, conversions or employee engagement, every business challenge that walks through our door is ultimately a communications challenge. That’s why we believe strategic brand communication sets the foundation for success throughout the marketing landscape.

Marketing communication and brand strategy takes many forms, but most often the form is actually an answer to a question that prospects and customers haven’t thought to ask yet. If that sounds broad to the point of evasiveness, it kind of is, but only because brand communication is a chameleonic solution. Take, for instance, this selection of four disparate challenges, each of which was solved with an application of brand communication strategy.

Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust Makes an Urban Appeal

Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) is extremely well known in an extremely niche world. The conservation-focused nonprofit has spent the past 25 years protecting Colorado’s working lands and families and is rightly known and trusted in the realms of farming, ranching and conservation.

Although CCALT’s success with its target audiences has meant it has had tremendous impact and relatively organic growth over the years, the team saw a missed opportunity to connect with the rest of Colorado — the people who love this land, even if they don’t work it. To that end, CCALT engaged Communications Strategy Group (CSG®) to build out a sub-brand, Forever Colorado, designed to connect with urban outdoor enthusiasts.

Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust Makes an Urban Appeal

Applying the lens of a creative branding agency, CSG was able to take the notion for Forever Colorado and blow it out into a beautiful, rustic yet modern extension of CCALT.

With rich colors, sweeping landscape images, and emotive language, Forever Colorado unites CCALT with people who share a passion for all that Colorado has to offer and a belief that our natural resources are part and parcel to what Colorado is, and always has been.

CSG Branding CCALT's Forever Colorado Extension

Forever Colorado was unveiled in the thick of the coronavirus pandemic with much of the state still under a shelter-in-place order and yet still helped CCALT raise a record amount of donations at its first-ever virtual event.

Nova Healthcare Administrators Breaks the Industry Mold

Healthcare is an industry with a look. It’s rarely broken, which creates a sea of sameness that leaves most brands unable to break out or unwilling to break expectations. Nova Healthcare Administrators, a third-party plan administrator, prides itself on coloring outside the lines to create custom solutions. So when it came time to refresh Nova’s branding and communication strategy, it only made sense to think beyond the commonplace hues and phrases of the industry.

Nova tapped CSG to develop a forward-thinking new look and feel that balances the company’s penchant for digging into the data and seeing the people behind the plan.

With input from archetyping and customer journey workshops, CSG proposed a reimagined brand voice, key messaging and look and feel to bring Nova’s identity up to the standards of its service. Already this work has helped Nova refresh its content offerings and proposals to close new business. And it’s become the guiding force behind an ongoing communications plan that includes lead capture and nurture work as well as an upcoming website update.

CSG took the time to understand our organization. They continue to remain curious about who we are, what we do and what makes us different. The CSG team is made up of excellent listeners, talented strategists, creative writers and skilled collaborators. CSG has been able to walk us through a brand refresh, helping us to brighten and clarify our language and graphics. Through every step of our engagement, they have aimed to understand our story and support us in telling it in a way that has created renewed excitement for our products and helped us build the foundation for a smarter marketing strategy.
Sara Fluskey, director of marketing & communications, Nova

Rippleshot Steps Into Its Story

The fraud detection specialists at Rippleshot are technology innovators, but they’re also compassionate service providers. And in the sleek and set world of fraud protection and technology, that human element was all but invisible to potential customers.

With that in mind, Rippleshot called upon CSG to better define and articulate a brand story to demonstrate the dynamism of the team and distinguish it from the stock technology look.

Updated brand messaging, a refreshed look and feel, and early funnel recommendations were the tip of the brand communications spear that helped Rippleshot redefine their image and better position both the sophistication of their solution and their spirit of service.

Rippleshot branding brochures and homepage shown on laptop

VitaNavis Finds Its Place at The Myers-Briggs Company

Education innovator VitaNavis was born from the Innovation Labs at The Myers-Briggs Company. A student support tool, built around interest-based discovery, VitaNavis needed clarity on how to position itself within the larger company and to prospects. As part of an integrated marketing communications effort, VitaNavis engaged CSG to better define its identity, value proposition and positioning.

Through a series of workshops, messaging exercises and creative explorations, we helped VitaNavis find its identity and elevate its unique and inspiring story. The work became the foundation for a reimagined website, value proposition and brand narrative.

CSG Branding

Case Study