Here is the first installment in our monthly series featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible people who work here. We ask four simple questions: What does branding mean to you, what does thoughtful mean to you, what’s your favorite brand and why do you work here?

Our first interview is with our multi- faceted, licorice-eating, task-master of all things, our office director Marisa Petrillo.

Watch the video and hear how Marisa answers our questions.

Conversations with Corey from Corey McPherson Nash on Vimeo.

Andrea Naddaff is writing a series of tips targeted for small business owners for Business Week. The first tip titled, “Your Brand Is a Verb, Not a Noun” was published last week.

I was asked to write about my favorite brand that is most definitely a verb. And I selected Swatch - throw out your outdated memories of Swatch from the 80’s - the cheap plastic watch is alive - and doing well.

For my twelfth birthday I received a Swatch Watch as a gift. Since that day, Swatch is the only type of watch I have worn. For a brand to be worn by a 12 year old and a person roughly three times that age shows that Swatch has a living brand.

Now for some, Swatch brings up visions of the Duran Duran , dot matrix printers, and Silver Spoons (I still want a train in my house). Swatch survived the 80’s, outlived grunge, sailed through the millennium, and now is as strong as ever.

The concept behind Swatch is very simple - it is a cheap plastic watch. But, it is also a platform with endless possibilities that the brand has created and expertly cultivated. The variety of watches available suits every personal style, outfit, and age - and new watches are released regularly throughout the year. Right now there are more than 60 models available. Swatch has even moved beyond plastic into metal models that are more fitted to the board room than a night club. Swatch has created a platform for change and adroitly updated the design to meet and push the contemporary zeitgeist. The price point of the watch is symbiotic with Swatch’s production of new models - with so many different designs it is affordable to own more than one. I own more than 30.

To stay current and capture diverse markets Swatch regularly partners with designers to create new designs. Annie Leibovitz, Keith Haring, and Yoko Ono have all created one. This year’s designs were created by two artists and two fashion designers. To prevent seeming too artsy, Swatch also sponsors sporting events such as snowboarding, freestyle skiing, and beach volleyball. Every four years they release models to commemorate the Olympic Games.

Swatch injects new the technology into the watches. I own one that has a design that touts reuse and recycling and replenishes the battery with solar power (I got it in Barcelona). Other models can store information such as ski passes and electronic credits and be used to gain admission to mountains and access amusements at theme parks.

To ensure enthusiasts continue to interact with the brand, Swatch has created a membership Club. Each year members receive a special model only available to Club members.

All in all, Swatch sets a great example of what it means to create a brand that is a verb - they have changed over time while remaining true to their core - we know that this is a winning formula and they have done it extremely well.

“Our new logo connotes the circle of life and interlocking rings of community, education and products that our clients come to know and love – what a perfect visual,” said Jo McChesney, Co-Founder and CEO of Isis. “We are thrilled with the resulting brand identity that Corey McPherson Nash created for us – not only the logo but all of the physical elements – they clearly communicate our brand personality and promise to our core audiences, and will grow with us as we continue to evolve over many years to come.”

Isis Parenting was created to respond to the unique needs of expecting parents and new families. They combine the “best of everything” a parent and parent-to-be could need and put it under one roof, in comfortable centers filled with other new moms and dads who understand your life. Isis offers a wide range of childbirth, prenatal, pregnancy and new parenting classes for new & expecting parents.

When Isis needed help turning the pages to a new chapter in the Isis evolution - one that included a new name, recognizing the company’s support of expecting and new parents from pregnancy to pre-school – they turned to Corey McPherson Nash. The company really wanted to acknowledge that “parenting” involves moms as well as dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles and the entire community and they trusted that Corey could capture that essence.

So what did Corey do? Here’s a quick overview of our process:

The goal was to build an inspirational brand synonymous with prepared parenting. We wanted to show a brand evolution that allows us to evaluate and address new channels and markets clearly and with a solidified message. Our assessment and process included:

OVERVIEW

Corey delivers on Isis promise to be the leading resource in parenting

• The Flexibility: Broader-based or sub-brand system that allows for appeal to new channels and markets.
• The Look: A new, more representative logo and updated visual brand identity.
• The Tools: A professional collateral system that delivers the right (consistent) message for each audience.
• The Experience: Internal excitement about, and alignment with, a well-defined, airtight brand.

LOGO

As both a B2B and B2C brand, it was important to develop an identity system that anchors the brand in trust but allows for warmth with a wink.

• Reinforce Isis as a “sincere” brand and the complete resource for expecting and new families.
• One that resonates broadly to a diverse audience.
• Communicate what Isis does (ranging from evocative to descriptive).
• Stands the test of time, as Isis grows and expands their offerings.
• Is flexible and easy to use; works well in multiple applications; commands presence and is easily identifiable from a distance; works well with and without a tagline; scales well, and works well in both color and black and white.

TARGET AUDIENCES

Since Isis’s broad audience includes healthcare professionals and a wide range of caregivers, the identity needed to look corporate as well as sincere.

• Families and caregivers who are current or potential Isis clients (primarily upper middle class expecting and new mothers who are educated and an ongoing learners - also quality and brand-conscious. We also needed to consider an eventual expansion to a broader demographic model in the future).
• Current and potential healthcare partners: CFO or director-level managers in hospitals/healthcare organizations, extremely busy, ROI focused.
• OB’s, midwives, nurses, pediatricians
• Current and potential employees
• Investors

BRAND PERSONALITY AND TONALITY

At Corey, we not only believe that a well-designed logo must express your brand, but it also must be well-crafted and work seamlessly in all media and all executions.

Sincere

Convey that Isis truly cares about its mission and its customers:

• Authentic; Nonjudgmental: Accessible, but not predictable or “mass-market”
• Supportive / Helpful / Caring: Feminine, but not overly soft, sentimental or babyish
• Personal / Individual: Creative and fresh

Expert

Convey that Isis is an expert resource for its customers, one to be trusted and relied upon for support:

• Comprehensive: Extends well to multiple applications
• Knowledgeable / Intelligent: Modern, hip and stylish, not trendy
• Practical / Resourceful: Flexible
• Trusted: Sophisticated, not elite or edgy
• Community-based
• Welcoming / Inclusive: Warm and fresh
• Engaged: Vibrant and joyful

Please weigh in – what do you think of the brand evolution? Click here to see the full photo gallery of our work. Did we capture all of the elements above? Does the identity capture the Isis mission? Is there anything different that you would have done if you were the design firm? We’d love your feedback and ideas.

Corey’s project team for Isis: Andrea Naddaff, Partner; Phyllis Kido, Creative Director and Angelina Lazuk, Designer.

I had the great privilege of participating as a panelist in National Provider’s Council Annual meeting two weeks ago. The keynote address was on The Power of Branding.

What struck me the most was the power of the topic.  Those of us who live and breathe the world of “brand-speak” know it is often a repeated topic and ubiquitous on the conference circuit.  But to the crowd of professionals in the non-profit human services sector, it’s a whole new word.

The oversized, generic room of the Natick Crowne Plaza was filled to capacity with a captive audience, eager to learn more about the basics of branding. Their funding has been cut, their resources are strapped, and on top of all of that they need to raise money while also building and elevating their organizations profile. Similar thoughts came from audience members about being relieved and grateful that their industry is finally paying attention to brand and to its role in building a successful organization. The interesting thing, however, is that people whose organizations are built around servicing others need to service themselves first.

Recently, President Obama called on Americans to “serve their communities,” citing that “public service is transformative, helping both the individuals that serve and the communities that benefit.” Those in the non-profit sector often forget about the advantages shared by all when they put themselves and their potential brands first - it will ultimately make them better at helping others.

I encourage these professionals to take the time, for themselves and their beneficiaries, to explore cost-effective branding options such as social media. Tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs make brands come alive and instantly connect them to their communities.  After all, when the opportunity to create a brand is pushed aside, the chance is lost to creatively make your mission come alive for all – clients, sponsors, volunteers and more – to see.

What is your school’s identity? What are its unique features and benefits? Most importantly, how would the various constituents in your community answer the above questions? With rising tuitions and increased competition, schools need to present a concise, compelling, and consistent message. Examine both traditional and new marketing tools, including social media, that will help you hone and project an accurate, positive image.

A presentation at the American Montessori Society 2010 Annual Conference by Andrea Naddaff, Partner and VP of Business Development.