Atlanta Mission

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  “Shine the Light!”

  Our 2010 On The House recipient, The Atlanta Mission was founded in 1938 and today is the city’s largest organization fighting to end homelessness. The Mission serves as many as 1,070 men, women and children every day of the year with emergency shelter, residential recovery and transitional housing. However they are not just a hand out- but a hand up.

  WINNER: 2010 On The House

• 2/17
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   Challenge

  In 2008 the organization brought in new leadership and big changes were soon to follow. After being selected for our 2010 On The House program, we first conducted a brand audit (stakeholder interviews, marketing audit, language audit, and a competitive audit) for the mission, which led to three major objectives:

  1. Increase Organizational Alignment
  2. Clarify who the mission serves
  3. Evolve the current Brand Identity.

• 4/17 Historic emblem version of the new identity
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   Solution

  Naming 

  Originally “Atlanta Union Mission”, our biggest naming challenge was using three incredibly generic words that create an awkward phrase in conversation which results in using an acronym (AUM) or simplifing the name to just “The Mission”, thus not making the real brand name very valuable. With this in mind we explored an evolutionary naming strategy looking at each of the three generic words. "Atlanta" was our focus and key differentiator to the brand, so it was vital. "Union" was the most generic of the three, and "Mission" resonated with the Christian purpose of the organization. By removing "Union" and simplifing to "Atlanta Mission" we could keep vested stakeholders engaged as well as brand recognition, but solve our portability problem.

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   Solution

  tagline

  In partnership with Ries & Ries, we uncovered the one word focus for the Atlanta Mission as “homelessness”. It is unique to the organization, own-able, and specific. In everything we do we want to reinforce that word and build meaning into the brand, including in the tagline. The simplest way to include “homelessness” into the tagline was to describe what the Mission is doing about it; Powerfully put, “Ending Homelessness”. It is specific, clear, and engages our stakeholders in a powerful way.

  mark

  The old symbol, a stationary lamp post, is now replaced a mobile lantern. Instead of waiting for people to come to it, we will now go out and bring the “light” to those in need. The mark also now includes a simple cross at the heart of the lantern representing the Christian foundation of the mission.
  

  
  

• 7/17
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   Results

  The official public launch of the rebranded Atlanta Mission is set for winter of 2010. With local city and business leadership in attendance, we look forward to the beginning of a new day of possibilities and opportunities to unite our city behind the cause of Ending Homelessness. The complete rollout of the brand will take place before the close of the 2010 and will usher in a new year and focused direction for the 70 year old brand.

• 9/17 Apparel Design
• 10/17 Atlanta Mission Brochure
• 11/17 Atlanta Mission Brochure
• 12/17 "Our Atlanta, My Mission" Annual Report
• 13/17 Annual Report Spread
• 14/17 Annual Report, Rebrand Spread
• 15/17 Atlanta Mission Collateral
• 16/17 www.atlantamission.org
• 17/17 Atlanta Mission Employee Launch Gifts