A powerful brand to support the five year Strategic Plan for a leading healthcare provider
The Challenge
Developing branding and messaging for the strategic plan of a major hospital system, our challenge was to communicate a vision for the future of healthcare in Ontario, while inspiring employees and other stakeholder groups involved. We understood that the key points needed to be memorable and reflect the values and culture of the organization.
Our Approach
Our goal was to make it easy for everyone to both understand and remember the high level messages to be communicated in the St. Joseph’s Healthcare strategic plan. We developed “power words” to convey the four strategic directions of the Plan. This provided an effective hierarchy of information.
Logo Design
The brand symbol evolved by taking the concept of the four strategic directions and combining them with care and connectedness. We arrived at a set of symbols that were easily understood. The combination of these shapes creates a unique symbol to reflect St. Joseph’s strategic directions while also symbolically saying “connectedness”.
Logo Animation Concept
Multiple animated logo reveals for the brand symbol were explored to try to find the right character and expression to expand on the brand symbol. Movement adds feeling and personality, and this needed to match the established brand of St. Joseph’s Healthcare as a whole, as well as the strategic plan brand. These are some of the rough versions presented for consideration.
Final Animation
The final version of the animated brand symbol conveys the interrelationship of the four strategic directions, identified by their specific brand colours interlacing together with overlapping motion. The spiritual aspect of St. Joseph’s is subtly conveyed through the ascending symbol at the end of the sequence.
Photography
Real people photographed doing their jobs in their actual setting brings authenticity to the images used to support the strategic plan. It keeps things personal and intimate. The most important audience for this plan are the people who work at the hospitals. The photographs let them connect to the plan, and to the future of healthcare in Hamilton. Muse worked with our partner Jon Evans Photography to capture these scenes.
Brand Materials
This campaign required a number of specific pieces to get the messages out. Screen savers were used throughout the hospital system. A booklet shared the entire plan in both digital and print formats. Posters, placemats, Powerpoint presentations, and website content were developed for the leadership and ambassador teams. Buttons, banners, and hand-outs were distributed. On site wall graphics and posters support the plan campaign at all campuses.
Video
The script concept for the video was simple: Let people from all the departments communicate the top level messaging of the strategic plan, delivered as one continuous message. Interest comes from the tight edits, variety of environments, and diversity of roles of the people speaking. The video finishes with an overhead shot of all the participants grouped in the shape of a heart, a component of the brand symbol.
Behind the scenes
Over the course of this video project Muse had the pleasure of working with many extraordinary people. From the amazing St. Joseph’s staff to the talented team of videographers, sound recordists, and stylists, the final result reflects the professionalism of everyone involved. Video editing and all post-production was completed in-house by the Muse team.
Brand Style Guide
Multiple designers and departments will be working with the brand elements over the course of the strategic plan. The brand style guide provides formal directions for working with these elements in a consistent manner. Consistency builds credibility and memorability in the minds of viewers.
Copywriting
Muse developed the aspirational statement for the five year strategic plan: Committed to Excellence. Dedicated to Discovery. We also recommended using four ‘power words’ to make it easy to remember the four strategic directions. Leading, Learning, Building, and Caring became the cornerstones for the plan and the launch campaign. Supporting messaging for the plan was developed collaboratively with the St. Joseph’s public affairs team.
Print Ads
A series of print ads were developed to support the launch of the strategic plan. They needed to convey the main messages quickly and efficiently. Targeting different audiences, these ads helped build rapid awareness and an understanding of the purpose of the plan.
All this work requires some serious planning. Our communications plan was developed early in the process. It outlines both the big picture and anticipates the smallest details for execution of the campaign. The plan is submitted for approval and client input. Once approved, the communications plan becomes the roadmap for the journey to completion.
Impact
It was an honour to work with the St. Joseph’s Public Affairs team and help them to achieve their stated goals for the campaign. The launch has been deemed a success by all stakeholders. Brand platform approval was received unanimously, which was rewarding for the Muse team. There are numerous tools in place to measure campaign performance to meet tangible goals over the long term. We look forward to following the impact of the campaign over the next five years.
From the client
””The launch went wonderfully. Everyone was very happy. We’re getting great feedback on the logo, branding and the clarity of the four directions. People love the “power words”.
Agnes BongersDirector, Public Affairs, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
Social Media
Muse developed assets for St. Joseph’s social media platforms to create excitement and awareness for the campaign launch. This included a teaser campaign that introduced the new branding using soft focus with the message: Our Future. In Focus. #WeAreStJoes. The assets were widely shared by internal and public audiences. A successful photo contest was initiated by the St. Joe’s team to encourage participation in building awareness.