Center for Youth Development and Education (CYDE)
Issues/Challenges:
The Center for Youth Development and Education (CYDE) is an education organization created by the State of Massachusetts, encompassing a multitude of diverse programs aiming to help a variety of youths—one of such programs being Communities and Schools for Career Success (CS2). In 2003, CYDE decided to make the transition from a State-funded program to a privately funded nonprofit organization. CYDE sought the assistance of Lindberg Group to aid in the collaborative creation of a recognizable and consistent global image, as well as to develop a new brand for CS2.
Strategies:
- Utilize web based market research to aid in the process
- Web Poll internal audiences (CYDE staff and board members) to identify perceived strengths and weaknesses with the current CYDE and CS2 brand
- E-Poll external audiences, specifically educators, to determine perceived useful current features offered by CYDE and CS2
- Use this data to create a new brand for CS2 and a new image for CYDE
Activities:
- Development of an extensive online questionnaire
- Distribution of the questionnaire via e-mail to CYDE staff and board members, high school teachers, and secondary school principals
- After two weeks, the collection and processing of such data into a report consisting of recommendations by Lindberg Group to be shared with CYDE.
Results:
Following recommendations by Lindberg Group, the name of CS2 was changed to the more resonant title, Schools and Communities for Student Success (SUCCESS). The research was further used to develop a new corporate identity for CYDE and all of its programs. This new image is now used in all CYDE promotional materials and has succeeded in enhancing the overall appeal and brand recognition of the organization and its affiliated educational programs.