CHANDLER - BRANDING OVERVIEW

• Competition & Challenges • Role of Branding • Why Good Branding is Important • Branding Triangle • Mission Statement • Audiences & Community Partners • Positioning • Messaging • Unique Selling Points • Visual Identity • Taglines • Brand Management • Articulating The Chandler Experience • Ambassadors – W.O.M • Marketing & Social Media

COMPETITION & CHALLENGES • Competition for the segment of the local

population that supports the performing arts • Growing awareness to attract new visitors • Appealing to a younger audience • Difficulty of standing out in a cluttered and noisy

environment with too many choices • Programming that attracts people from a wider

radius who are willing to travel • Inclement winter weather • Appearing contemporary in a historic venue • Determining the genre of music known for • Offering an attractive mix within the organizations

budget • Offering different programming than competitors • Social media integration

ROLE OF BRANDING

• A brand is more than a visual identity: the name, logo and graphic design used by an organization.

• A promise of who you are

• Psychological connection that a person makes with a product, person, organization

• Visual should evoke an emotional response and messaging address a specific need(s)

• Develops authority and credibility. A strong and honest brand is a trusted brand.

Bringing the Arts to Life

WHY BRANDING IS IMPORTANT

• Create a memorable, recognizable identity • Connect with people on an emotional

level • Demonstrate and instill pride and

professionalism in your organization • Set your organization apart from other

similar organizations • Communicate who you are and what you

stand for • Inspire people to be part of your work and

to support you • Serves as a foundation for consistent

imaging across all communications • Springboard for community engagement,

and support • Incorporate at all levels of marketing

strategy

BRANDRAISING TRIANGLE borrowed from Big Duck Smart Communications for Non Profits

MISSION STATEMENT incorporates vision, core values, objectives

Chandler Center for the Arts Chandler Center for the Arts inspires and cultivates artistic expression and education in the performing and visual arts for people of all ages, deepens the cultural and artistic growth of youth, and strengthens and energizes our community by offering opportunities for people to come

together in pursuit and celebration of the arts.

Lebanon Opera House A cultural center for the Upper Valley region, Lebanon Opera House presents live performances that inspire, educate and entertain, broadens cultural horizons by spotlighting a diversity of local, national, and international artists, encourages community participation in the arts, and stewards a special gathering place for community and school use that will engender future arts patrons and participants

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall is a regional center for the visual and performing arts. Its mission is to present and promote artistic performances and exhibitions, educate the community in and about the arts and encourage and support active community participation in the arts.

Who will be filling those empty seats? Customer-base Geographic radius- primarily White River Valley area; and the Upper Valley and Burlington for bigger name concerts For NWF: in addition, northern New England to S. Canada Demographic – All ages -adults, teens, children Competition within radius- Lebanon Opera House, Barre Opera House, Flynn Center, Pentangle Arts, Hopkins Center, Spruce Peak Performing Arts, Tupelo Music Hall, Lost Nation Theater, Paramount Theater, Kingdom County Productions

CHANDLER’S AUDIENCE(S)

Courtesy of Becky

Local Partners Town of Randolph, WRV Chamber, Herald, Sharon Academy, local and regional schools, VTC (better integration needed), Gifford, restaurants, lodging properties and other local businesses

Partner Organizations VT Community Foundation, VT Arts Co., The Summit School, VT Symphony Orchestra, VT Philharmonic, Montpelier Chamber Orchestra Young Tradition VT, Statewide Theatrical Network, Arts Presenters of Northern NE, Community Engagement Lab, Statewide Theatrical Network

Sponsors & Funders VPR, NE Foundation for the Arts, Preservation Trust of VT, VT Humanities Council, Gay & Lesbian Fund, small & medium foundations, businesses & individuals

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

POSITIONING

Define Unique Selling Points or Positioning (USP) informed by SWOT analysis, determine key selling points as relate to organizational goals. • Tangible and emotional attributes • Story behind the organization • Programming focus • Location Benefits & Impacts to Community & Audience Social, cultural, economic, educational- articulate in marketing materials Define the Chandler Experience- Tagline

Develop Messaging Incorporate into overall Marketing Strategy

EXTERNAL BRANDING – MESSAGING

-Identify key attributes and benefits/USP -Narrow down to 3-6 bullet points, succinctly describing what you offer, that align with what your target audiences need and want. -Use these key points in developing your messaging across all of your marketing communications platforms. -Develop boiler plate descriptions (of varying lengths) for use on Facebook- About, online directories, and print materials for consistency. -Display website and/or FB address on everything!

INCORPORATE USP INTO CHANDLER’S BRANDING AND MESSAGING Key to being seen as an important White River Valley community resource that needs additional funding and support beyond ticket sales. Use to hook people in.

• Acoustically superior venue- backed by artist testimonials

• Performing & visual arts center

• 107 year old newly-renovated music hall. Among the oldest in New England

• Celtic and folk music

• Classical music

• Youth programming

• Community resource

VISUAL IDENTITY - LOGOS

Logo Font Color palette Tagline Consistency across all platforms

TAGLINES & SLOGANS

A short and memorable “sticky” slogan or phrase that communicates your uniqueness, impact and value while speaking to the emotional needs of your audience.

A good tagline should be

-Honest, authentic -Original and unique to your brand - Complement and clarify your organization’s name without duplicating it -Reflect the personality of the organization -Address it’s core service -Convey impact and value -Make an emotional connection -Focus on a benefit to the customer -Be distinctive and powerful -Short: 3 to 8 well chosen words -Memorable – clever, catchy, surprising, fun, inventive -Succinct, descriptive, benefit oriented with the right mix of creativity and strategic thinking

Research, Review & Test before implementing.

“Smart policy. Sound science. Stronger communities” (Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs) “Explore, enjoy and protect the planet” (Sierra Club) “Improving life, one breath at a time” (American Lung Association “Where volunteering begins” (VolunteerMatch) “A passion to help. The ability to deliver” (AmeriCares)

BRAND MANAGEMENT

• A brand is most powerful when internal identity is aligned with external imaging

• Brand building needs to become part of an organization’s strategy

• Brand promise needs to reflect core values, crucial to do what you say you do and who you are, authenticity is important

• Employees, board members, volunteers and vendors need to understand and embrace the core brand message to create a more unified organization and consistent external communications

• Promotes pride in the organization and mission

• Creates trust between the organization and its external audiences

• Paves the way for partnerships, friend-raising and fundraising opportunities

ARTICULATING THE CHANDLER EXPERIENCE

Earlier board feedback: Warm, shared community, sense of belonging. Connection with artist/like minded people, towns, engaged audience. Intellectual component. Youth focus/Unpretentous/Historical element Looks, feels like home/comfortable atmosphere/ Superb acoustics VT Life ad copy: Experience Chandler! World-class music, festivals, theatrical productions, films, and gallery exhibits in an intimate historic setting. Come Visit Us!

The Chandler Experience in a Tagline Current: Where Arts & Community Meet (no the) Brainstorm ideas for new one: -Bringing the arts & community to life -Where the arts, outstanding acoustics, and community spark Group suggested: Best Sound Around – Come Hear the Difference

Board Members Volunteers Families of Mini Mud & youth musicals participants Performers Attendees Word of Mouth: conversational and viral

AMBASSADORS – W.O.M

Let the musicians, media and audience do the bragging! Incorporate testimonials into appeal letters, print materials, ads, website, Facebook

TESTIMONIALS

“Of all the halls I have played, Chandler is the warmest acoustically, musically and sincerely”. – Jamaican pianist Paul Shaw “Wonderful hall – comfy like old slippers and fuzzy sox. Great crew/staff”. –Folk musicians, Michael Burd with David Mallett "The sound quality is immediately striking. From the back of the first balcony, the sound was as clear, present, and precise as if listening in one’s own living room”. –Jim Lowe, arts writer Times Argus

-Press releases, PR -Ads and posters -E-blasts

SOCIAL MEDIA -Facebook –liven it up, photos with every post, build a buzz about performers and artists, audio and video clips, media quotes etc. Engage the audience with questions, current engagement is weak. -Add a Blog - Chandlerarts/blogspot.com, post press releases with photos, boost SEO, sync with Facebook Use Twitter Engage network to share facebook posts, retweet Mobile Site

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA