Posts

No more confusion: Rebranding PIDC from the inside out

PIDC-logo-phila-3-1.png (1)Since its inception in 1958, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) has best been known for playing an integral part in the growth and development of the city’s industrial and manufacturing sectors.

As the makeup of the economy changed in Philadelphia, so did PIDC. It began helping many different types of businesses in Philadelphia: from small to large, for-profit to non-profit, in every business sector. The name they had been known by was no longer reflective of their breadth of work. Their brand identity had become confused, and they looked to LevLane to help them tell their story.

Conduct, Create, Change: LevLane began rebuilding the brand from the inside out, determined to uncover everything from the products and services that were offered, how employees and outsiders spoke of PIDC, to how the receptionist answered the phone. After conducting many interviews with internal and external key stakeholders, the LevLane team began to uncover the brand’s perceptions and truths.

It was evident that different Philadelphia businesses, as well as PIDC employees, had varying awareness of all the work of PIDC, causing brand recognition issues. LevLane’s rebranding campaign would soon help to solve this problem.

LevLane suggested that Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation solely be referred to as PIDC, then crafted an external positioning statement that described exactly what PIDC does: “Driving growth to every corner of Philadelphia.” In addition to its industrial heritage, PIDC wanted to focus on its small business lending and community development initiatives.

Next, it was crucial that the internal key messaging be clear for all. LevLane developed new brand messaging that ensured each PIDC employee would be communicating the same consistent message.

Finally, LevLane developed a comprehensive, multi-year marketing and communications plan that included a re-branding with a media plan to support it. The creative team stayed busy, and launched PIDC’s new website and campaign in October 2014. Complete with a new logo, messaging, color pallette, website, corporate brochure and collateral, it was out with the old and in with the new!Screen Shot 2014-11-06 at 6.18.47 PM 1

“It’s been a long process, but well worth it for the results. We’re excited by the refreshed PIDC brand and how it better reflects our story,” said Jessica Calter, PIDC Director of Marketing Communications. “Our new website is fresh, user-friendly, and showcases our clients and the faces behind the scenes.”

“It’s important for the community to hear our client success stories firsthand and the ways in which they’re contributing to Philadelphia’s economy. With the creative direction of LevLane and other partners, we were able to put together a great video showcasing our clients and the work we’re proud to do every day,” said Anne Bovaird Nevins, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Business Development for PIDC.

LevLane is confident that PIDC will continue to flourish for years to come, driving growth to every corner of Philadelphia!

MINDING OUR ELDERS

LevLane has a finely honed understanding of and respect for seniors. How could we not? We’ve been talking with them one-on-one for over 20 years in order to build brands that move them…literally. From Connecticut to Chicago, we’ve picked the brains of retirees, to understand what compels them to abandon an established lifestyle and start afresh in a senior living community. Such insights have never been more precious, now that a precarious economy provides a ready-made excuse to stay put on familiar ground. So we dig – for pearls that when strewn through the creative will help turn the heads and hearts of our prospects toward a wonderful new beginning. It’s gratifying work – to elicit the stories, soak in the wisdom, learn what really matters when you’re 70, 80, 90 years old. And, we get a glimpse of what we would hope to have when we get there ourselves: something of value to share, if someone happened to ask.

-Lori Miller, VP Creative Strategist

We All Win When the Media and the Government Collaborate

On Friday, August 12, The Philadelphia Daily News introduced “Pick It Up,” the paper’s new campaign for a cleaner city. The front page story and two page spread not only made a call for action to Philadelphians to clean up their act. It did so without dissing the City’s—specifically The Street Department’s—focused efforts to fix the problem. Too many times when it comes to news reporting, it’s a gotcha mentality that drives the story. The government is wrong. The news guys are heroes for exposing the wrongs. Gotcha! Well, at least in this case, the DN joined with the Streets Department in a much needed initiative, even lauding the City’s UnLitter Us movement as “promising” and including the Deputy Mayor, the Streets Commissioner and the Deputy Streets Commissioner in the dialogue. The City’s effort and the paper’s effort are both strengthened by the collaboration. In the end, it’s us—the citizens of Philadelphia– that win. Kudos to all parties for avoiding the finger pointing and for putting the need to solve the litter problem at the center of the discussion.

-Scott Tattar

*Featured photo is from the latest Daily News editorial entitled “We’ve become the Cradle of Littery” by Sandy Shea

New York Times Online: Accounts and People of Note in the Ad Industry

Emily Verna joined LevLane, Philadelphia, as an account coordinator. She is a recent graduate of St. Joseph’s University who majored in marketing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/25/business/media/accounts-and-people-of-note-in-the-ad-industry.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&nl=business&emc=atb1

Media Post News: Emily Verna

LevLane hired Emily Verna as account coordinator on the agency’s Taco Bell, Reliance Standard Life Insurance, Philadelphia Financial and Senior Care Development accounts.


http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showEdition&art_send_date=2011-7-26&art_type=23

Bulldog Reporter: LevLane Adds Verna as Account Coordinator

Advertising and public relations agency LevLane (www.levlane.com) in Philadelphia has hired Emily Verna as account coordinator on the agency’s Taco Bell, Reliance Standard Life Insurance, Philadelphia Financial and Senior Care Development public relations accounts.

“Entry level professionals are probably the most challenging hiring proposition for PR and ad agencies,” said Scott D. Tattar, Senior Vice President and PR Director at LevLane. “The number and quality of candidates coming out of college each year is most impressive—especially from Philadelphia-area schools like Temple, Villanova, LaSalle, St. Joe’s and Rowan. Finding the very best of the crop is something we take very, very seriously. Literally, dozens of recent graduates were in the running for this position. In Emily, we found a positive energy and a work ethic that just fit our client-centric culture to a T.”

http://www.bulldogreporter.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=65A04EE2C7E6477D98008F9F14F11A5A&AudID=213D92F8BE0D4A1BB62EB3DF18FCCC68