Institution
Rebranding an
The Problem
After 165 years, the Smithsonian brand was widely recognized and beloved, but also in need of a refresh.
What management needed:
To modernize the way the brand delivered on its promise of knowledge and wonder in ways younger and more diverse audiences would appreciate and embrace.
What Staff Wanted:
To see themselves and their work embodied in the brand and to be offered the tools and skills to infuse it into everything they put out into the world.
What Happened Next:
Pherabe led a team of brand strategy consultants on a year-long journey through the Smithsonian’s dozens of museums and research centers to tease out the essence of what was special about this national treasure and why it was relevant to a new generation, facilitating consensus and compromise among an insanely diverse set of stakeholders around the carefully calibrated outcome.
The Solution:
An entirely new strategy for explaining and promoting the Smithsonian brand, including a new Seriously Amazing tagline, an in-house produced style guide, customized training sessions across every corner of the organization, a first-ever national advertising campaign, and the creation of a new central marketing team.