Together with Siegel+Gale, Rotary Launches Its "Strengthening Rotary" Global Public Image Initiative

EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Together with global strategic branding firm Siegel+Gale (www.siegelgale.com), Rotary today announced the launch of its global public image initiative "Strengthening Rotary" to enhance and amplify the volunteer service organization's great story, visual identity and digital experience.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120123/NY39544LOGO)

The global organization includes Rotary, Rotary International, The Rotary Foundation and more than 34,000 clubs worldwide. Its membership comprises neighbors, community leaders and global citizens who come together to  exchange ideas and take action to improve communities around the world.  

"Rotary has had a tremendous global impact over the past 100 years—including the decades-long charge to eradicate polio; however, much of the organization's collective contributions were not being fully recognized by the public," said Rotary International President Ron D. Burton. "So in 2011, we engaged Siegel+Gale to help us clearly communicate who we are and what we do for greater understanding, relevance and impact."

Through extensive global research, Siegel+Gale discovered that Rotary had all the necessary strengths for greatness—it just needed to communicate its differentiated approach and impact in terms that were clear and compelling to its audiences.

"Our team worked collaboratively and tirelessly with Rotary—with input from thousands of Rotarians—to crystallize Rotary's essence, amplify its voice, and activate its values," said David Srere, co-CEO and chief strategy officer of Siegel+Gale. "Rotary is a tremendously impressive global organization, and the team's challenge was to dramatize the breadth and depth of its impact. Harnessing the power of simplicity, together we cut through the volume and complexity of the organization to present a clear, credible and compelling story."

Working with a global steering committee, the Board of Directors of Rotary International and the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation, Siegel+Gale helped Rotary to elevate the benefit of bringing together diverse perspectives to solve problems, and, ultimately, define the type of impact Rotary creates—community impact scaled globally. The team then developed a brand architecture framework that clearly signaled how both members and non-members can engage with Rotary—join leaders, exchange ideas and take action through local and global service projects.

"Rotary has an identity that's recognized around the world," said Justin Peters, global executive creative director of Siegel+Gale. "The team didn't set out to reinvent the wheel (logo). On the contrary, the goal was to celebrate the wheel's heritage and build upon an identity that has unified and inspired Rotarians for over a century. The new identity enables the organization to move forward with a stronger, more consistent visual expression. While the design system better aligns Rotary communications, it also provides enough flexibility that each club can have its own creative voice within the framework."

Next, Siegel+Gale and Rotary tackled the organization's digital experience. To elevate Rotary's collective impact and deliver on its new public image strategy, two sites were developed—based on the brand architecture framework—to meet the needs of Rotary's dual audiences.

"Together, My Rotary and Rotary.org convey the organization's global vantage point and its active engagement in communities around the world," said Thomas Mueller, chief experience officer at Siegel+Gale. "In eight languages and with a responsive site design approach that provides an optimal experience across platforms—from desktop to mobile—Rotary is now fully equipped for the new digital age."

Working through the lens of simplicity, Siegel+Gale was able to help Rotary communicate its global impact in a manner that is relevant and meaningful to its various audiences across all points of interaction.

"Rotary is an organization defined by the compassion and great work of its members. With our new public image platform, visual identity and digital experience, Rotary's passion for a better world is now at the forefront for all to see," said Rotary International General Secretary John Hewko.   

For a more in-depth overview, please view the case study here.

About Rotary
Rotary is a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world's most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary's 1.2 million members hail from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.

About Siegel+Gale 
Siegel+Gale (www.siegelgale.com) is the simplicity company. We seek it, defend it and embrace it in everything we do to help brands reach their true potential. Simplicity is the centerpiece of the strategies we develop that reveal the unique truths of an organization, the engaging stories we create that connect brands with their audiences and the meaningful experiences we deliver that are both unexpectedly fresh and remarkably clear.

Since 1969, Siegel+Gale has championed simplicity for leading corporations, nonprofits and government organizations worldwide. We have offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Hamburg, Riyadh, Dubai, Shanghai and Beijing, but we're willing to fly just about anywhere. We're also not alone. As part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., we have strong partners all around the world.

About Diversified Agency Services
Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), manages Omnicom's holdings in a variety of marketing communications disciplines. DAS includes over 200 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

Contact:
Jessica Abell
PR Manager, Siegel+Gale
jabell@siegelgale.com
301-467-5698

SOURCE Siegel+Gale