In summer 2007, Pocket Change, Inc. approached brashCreative, a student managed creative agency at The Art Institute of Portland, seeking an identity for the newly founded non-profit. brashCreative seized the opportunity and began the brainstorm process. As project manager I developed a strong client-agency relationship.

brashCreative created an integrated brand identity that clearly and successfully shares Pocket Change, Inc. brand values with their target audience. The project was completed in four steps: identity, collateral, promotional materials and event planning. The result is a unified identity that conveys the personality of Pocket Change, Inc. to the target audience.

Pocket Change, Inc. is a fully-developed case study that showcases the diverse skill sets I have learned by studying design management. It is meant to show my process working from start to finish on a design project. The following elements of the case study have been expanded above and beyond the work originally created by brashCreative for my personal portfolio purposes.

1. Target Audience:

Pocket Change, INC. has four separate target audiences, each serving unique roles. The four targets are donators, volunteers, social service agencies, and economically disadvantaged individuals.

Donators:

Demographics:

• 45-54 mix of male and female
• Married
• Empty Nest
• Career oriented
• 69-70K

Psychographics:

• Value hard work
• Hold a strong work ethic
• Believe in community, and want to give back
• Rely on their own judgment
• Don't view money or possessions as an end in themselves

Key Understandings:

• Have money to give
• Had time to develop their careers and are in prominent positions within companies "CEO make-up"
• Leaders and decisions makers in their respective fields
• Looking for ways to help, not always actively
• In order to donate their money they want to know where it is going
• Can associate easier with a corporate type experience when they consider donating
• They want a follow up experience with any organization they donate too
• They want to see prominent community members involved in the organization before they donate
• They want to see numbers and facts i.e. last year we received donations of x amount which translates into x number of meals for x number of people. They want to be updated in a professional manner i.e. newsletters
• They want to know that their money is being handled with integrity
• Can be enticed to give more if there is a corresponding activity to attend (auction, dinner, ect...
• Reached best by traditional media avenues

Potential Volunteers:

Demographics:

• Ages 35-44 mostly women
• 45-65K
• Family Orientated
• College Educated
• Married, Dual Income

Psychographics:

• Seeking first hand involvement in the world
• Rely on their own judgment over social norms
• Passionate about their beliefs and values
• Strongly individualistic, expressive, and complex
• Adventurous with new ideas, philosophies, and experiences

Key Understandings:

• Their time is often more precious than money
• Love to give back.
• Prefer to help people who help themselves already
• Like to support causes that are established in order to improve the situations of those who benefit, eventually putting those people in the position to give back in the future
• Want to see results in measurable change for the hard work they are putting in
• Offer something in return
• Reached best by non-traditional media avenues
• Seeing money spent on advertising is a turn off it makes them feel that their money is going toward that, instead of toward the actual cause
• They'll be more inclined to respond to stories in newspapers and magazines rather than advertisements.

Social Service Agencies:

Key Understandings:

• Established organizations made up of unique individuals
• Want to know how a new service would benefit their current mission
• Don't want to put in a lot of effort to integrate new service into existing services
• Value independent workers who don't need a lot of direction
• View everything they do as serving the greater good
• They aren't there to provide pity hand-outs
• Have established networks
• Deep understanding of the communities they serve

Economically Disadvantaged:

Demographics:

These individuals range from all walks of life, making it impossible to categorize them strictly be demographics. It is important to understand that economically disadvantaged means that these individuals are more than just poor, they lack the knowledge that leads to informed decisions. They are easily bogged down with substance abuse and have generally lead difficult lives. They have many experiences and great personal stories.

Psychographics:

• Need focused individuals
• Have limited material resources
• Perspectives are influenced by the effects if their severely limited resources
• Feel left out of the cultural mainstream
• Tend to feel powerless, and without real effective advocates
• Struggling against poverty
• See the need for change, "wish things weren't the way they are"
• Discouraged about positive change ever occurring
• Distrustful of "the System"

2. Brand Platform

Brand Personality & Attributes
The Caregiver
Motto: Love your neighbor as yourself
Core desire: to protect and care for others
Goal: to help others
Greatest fear: selfishness and ingratitude
Strategy: doing things for others
Weakness: martyrdom and being exploited
Talent: compassion, generosity
The Caregiver is also known as: the saint, altruist, parent, helper, supporter

Brand Strategy:

Brand Vision:

To equip individuals with the knowledge needed to make informed financial decisions, ultimately leading to financial freedom.

Business Category:

Social Service, Financial Education

Brand Positioning Statement:

Pocket Change, Inc. provides a solid foundation for the economically disadvantaged through financial education. We don't offer a handout, but rather teach our students everything they need to know in order to make informed financial decisions for the rest of their lives.

Brand Position Concept:

Benefits. Teaching self-independence.

Brand Promise:

Pocket Change, Inc. promises to teach the economically disadvantaged financial freedom for personal and societal growth.

Message 1:

Pocket Change, Inc. offers classes based on a sound financial background.

Reasons To Believe:

1. The founder has a nine years of experience working in the financial sector
2. Our classes cover a broad range of topics, each relevant to personal finances

Message 2:

Our class modules are flexible for individual needs.

RTB:

1. Our classes start with understanding our student's money attitudes and belief systems
2. We offer a variety of classroom settings. (individual counseling sessions, drop-in, interactive, etc...¦)
3. Different parts of our class modules can be combined to create your own program

Message 3:

We don't just preach to our students, but understand the situations they are coming from.

RTB:

1. The founder has been in the same situations as many of the students
2. The founder teaches from her own personal experiences

Link Between Brand Values & Target Audience:

Pocket Change, INC. is positioned as a caregiver. Being a caregiver allows Pocket Change, INC. to relate to all four of their target audiences because each group is seeking to either give care of their own, or receive care because they are in need.

3. Identity & Collateral

Color Scheme

Tagline

A change in your pocket for a wealthier life.

Logo
Designed By: Laura Feraco

4. Promotional Materials

To link to the Pocket Change, Inc. website click here. Note that the website has been updated, and no longer reflects the design created by brashCreative.

5. Event Planning

First Annual Art for Change

A fundraiser event for Pocket Change, INC

Target Audience for Postcard

The target for the event is going to be fairly established artists who understand quality art. These are individuals who have been exhibited at galleries before, or who are up and coming gaining a growing fan base for their work. They produce quality artwork that is worth a higher premium.

Message

Give, Gain, Grow

The idea is that the artists are giving their artwork to a cause. The cause supports the Portland community on a variety of levels. The artist gains recognition from donating their work, which in turn will help them further their career.

Pocket Change, INC gains from the artist's donation because it serves as a foundation for Pocket Change to make the money it needs to continue providing financial education. Pocket Change can grow as a non-profit with the collaboration of artists.

There is a third party that benefits from the event, the student in need of financial education. With the funds raised at the event Pocket Change will have the means to continue their mission of serving economically disadvantaged people.

Download the Event Mini Manual

6. Project Management

Creative Brief

Why are we advertising?

We are advertising to get the word out there on who Pocket Change, Inc. is, and what they do. We need to attract donors and volunteers and we need them to understand what Pocket Change, Inc. is trying to do within the community. We also need people who would use the services Pocket Change, Inc. provides to know that they are available.

Who are we talking to?

Four groups:

1. Donors: People who have money to donate. "CEO make-up." These are people who want to help and consider economic education an important service
2. Volunteers: People with the financial knowledge and ability to teach those without it
3. Social Service Agencies
4. People and social service agencies who would use the services provided

What do they currently think?

Currently they don't think anything. Pocket Change, Inc. is unknown.

What do we want them to think?

We want the donors and volunteers to understand that the donations of both time and money are going to go a long way towards helping those in need. That the services provided don't just help people in the now, they help people set themselves up for success in the future.

What's the ONE thing that we need to tell them?

It's not a handout, it's educating people to help themselves.

Why should they believe us?

Because Pocket Change, Inc. doesn't give away money, they give away education.

What is our brand's character?

Pocket Change, Inc.'s character is the teacher who believes that everyone has the ability to succeed if you just give them the right tools.
The Caregiver:
Altruistic, selfless
Nurturing, compassionate, empathetic
Supportive, generous

Four words we never want associated with our brand:

Handout
Pity
Average
Grandiose

Four words we want associated with our brand:

Education
Success
Community
Empowerment

What are we really selling?

A chance to change.

Visual Audit

The Visual Audit is a look at host agencies that Pocket Change, Inc. could, or is already, partnering with. The goal is to establish a general trend in the look and feel of social service agencies providing environmental context to help frame the identity design for Pocket Change, Inc.

Outside In

Mission:

Outside In addresses the changing needs of homeless youth and other low-income and marginalized people as they work toward self-sufficiency and improved health by providing them innovative social, medical and mental health services and material resources.

Tagline:

“We’re in the community. We’re there when lives change. We’re together…TOGETHER ON THE EDGE.”

Analysis:

• Look & Feel: edgy yet consistent
• Colors: black, red & white. Colors support a feeling of empowerment.
• Messaging: “Together” this places Outside In within a context of community and caregiver. “Together” means that Outside In offers working relationships to ensure a job well done. There isn’t isolation between those who serve, and those they serve.

Self Enhancement, Inc.

Mission:

Working with schools, families, and community organizations, SEI provides opportunities for personal and academic success, bringing hope to individual young people and enhancing the quality of community life.

Tagline:

“Youth potential realized.”

Analysis:

• Look & Feel: strong lines are formed by the square giving a sense of stability. The child with the raised arm shows an inquisitive nature.Gives a family oriented feeling.
• Colors: brown, black, and tan. Neutral colors provide a warm, friendly context, not polarizing any adience.
• Messaging: “We can help, but take a number and please wait in line.” SEI seems to promote a corporate, classroom-like experience with their messaging. It doesn't evoke an honest connection between the organization and its patrons.

New Avenues for Youth

Mission:

To help every youth reach their fullest potential by offering a continuum of outcome-based services that empower homeless youth to exit street life and prevent other youth from becoming homeless.

Analysis:

• Look & Feel: bold, crisp, and clean. The logo evokes a sense of opportunity and the strong black boxes represents a bold, can do attitude.
• Colors: Same as Outside In. black, red & white. Colors support a feeling of empowerment.
• Messaging: “We are outcome based.” New Avenues for Youth focuses on the outcome of their services, providing life-long help rather than immediate assistance. New Avenues promotes future success and optimism.

Friends of the Children

Mission:

Friends of the Children provides our community’s most vulnerable children with full-time, paid, professionally trained mentors (called Friends) to ensure that each child has a positive, consistent and supportive adult in his or her life. We begin working with children in Kindergarten and continue to support them for 12 1/2 years, through high school graduation.

Tagline:

“It Works!”

Analysis:

• Look & Feel: The logo is very well-designed portraying a sense of professionalism. The graphics of the people are a true representation of the work that Friends of the Children does between the mentor and child. The overall look & feel seems classic, caring and timeless.
• Colors: Blue and white, is simple on the eye, and easily relatable.
• Messaging: “Lending a helping hand.” Friends of the Children is all about helping out young, vulnerable community members. Their method provides a familial structure, that most of the other agencies lack; an older, paid mentor to be there as a friend for a child.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

• Strong relationships with “host” agencies
• Established Class Modules
• Intellectual knowledge of the founder
• Networks of people

Weaknesses

• No financial capital
• No space to call their own
• Lack of awareness of the organization
• Lack of staff in organization
• Use of technology to support business goals

Opportunities

• Marketing to promote services
• Build alliances with other non-profits
• Develop testimonials
• Exploit the non-profit support tools that exist in Portland
• Develop relationships with other youth agencies to expand customer reach
• Grants

Threats

• Financial operations of the agencies it depends on
• Acceptance of services by target audience
• Economic crisis and its affect on fundraising abilities
• General distrust of the financial market

Business & Marketing Anaylsis

Vision:

To equip individuals with the knowledge needed to make informed financial decisions, ultimately leading to financial freedom.

Mission:

To serve a variety of social service agencies by providing tools and skills for financial survival, and empowerment of economically disadvantaged people who are actively seeking to improve their lives.

Business Goals:

1. To build awareness around Pocket Change, Inc. in the Portland market, with the goal of becoming a nation ally recognized organization
2. To generate enough financial capital to purchase a space for operational activities, and to hire a staff
3. Become the leading financial service agency for economically disadvantaged
4. To become a resource that is sought after by the economically disadvantaged
5. Gain host agencies as clients in order to have a space to teach the class modules

Marketing Objectives:

• Product Class Modules Main Benefit: they teach the foundations needed to achieve financial independence. Bonus: the class modules are flexible and can be adapted to meet specific individual needs.
• Price Pocket Change, Inc. is a non-profit and doesn’t charge for it’s services
• Place Pocket Change, Inc. is located in Portland, OR. There classes are taught through other local, social service agencies.
• Promotion Vehicles The promotion starts with the development of an identity with will stay consistent throughout all promo tional vehicles. The main promotional vehicles are printed pieces including an informational postcard and a tri-fold brochures that provide the necessary information of who, what, why, where and how. These will be used as a leave behind for the social service agencies that they are trying to acquire as host agen cies. There will also be a website which will serve as the main communication platform between Pocket Change, Inc. and donators/volunteers.
• Positioning Strategy Pocket Change, Inc. is in it’s operational infancy and doesn’t have the resources to function indepen dently. Through marketing, Pocket Change, INC. will be positioned as an financial education tool. The marketing focuses on what Pocket Change, Inc. offers, and the benefits it provides to those who use their services.

Marketing Strategies

The marketing strategies align with the business goals and the target audience. For several reasons:

1. The printed promotional pieces have a strong, consistent identity that aligns with the donators and volunteers desire for a strong image, which conveys a level of professionalism. The printed pieces are duotone that will save costs on printing, which also aligns with the donators and volunteers desire to not see expensive advertising pieces.
2. The printed pieces will build awareness around Pocket Change, Inc. Through the generated awareness, Pocket Change, Inc. will earn a reputation, garnering financial donations.
3. The website will be very valuable to Pocket Change, Inc. because it will be a way for people anywhere to have access to the information. This will be important in earning validity as an organization, and will be a big attraction for host agencies.
4. The marketing strategies are a good foundation for Pocket Change, Inc. to start with while in their organiza tion infancy. As Pocket Change, Inc. grows through word of mouth and reputation they can start to transition their strategies to become positioned within a national landscape. This would build national recognition and will help their services become sought after.

Business Ethics:

Pocket Change, Inc. believes in doing the greater good and servicing the communities in which they conduct businesses. Pocket Change, Inc. believes that everyone has the fundamental skills in order to succeed in life, but some people may need help more than others. Pocket Change, Inc. seeks to be all inclusive by serving people from all walks of life.

Technological Tools:

Pocket Change, Inc. could benefit from implementing technology to their business structure:

1. Build a database of all volunteers and donators this becomes foundation for marketing purposes
2. Offer online class modules through virtual learning tools
3. Develop an internal site that will allow Pocket Change, Inc. employees to communicate and collaborate
4. Install analytics on their site to count traffic

Budget & Invoice

**Pocket Change, INC. is a non-profit client, so all work was done probono. Project rates reflect current industry rates. Student rates would be charged as follows: Account Services $40/hr. Freelance Photographer $35/hr. Graphic Designer $30/hr. Web Design $50/hr.

Download the Proposed Statement of Agreement for this project. 
Download the timeline for this project. 
Download a sample invoice for this project. 

7. Credits

Account Executive
Allison McKeever

Project Managers

Allison McKeever
Kristin Postill

Account Planners

Sharissa Dove
Tori Hartke
Olga Churkina

Graphic Designers

Laura Feraco
Anne McLaughlin
Christine Vo
Allison McKeever

Web Designers

Mark Avery
Jason Burns

Copywriters

China Hamilton
Allison McKeever

Resources

Outside In
Self Enhancement, Inc.
New Avenues for Youth
Friends of Children
AIGA Design & Business
All target audience research was conducted through a hand-crafted survey carried out by Sharissa Dove and Allison McKeever.