The 114-year-old mentoring organization’s new brand emphasizes the potential of all children
TAMPA, Florida, Oct. 1, 2018 – Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the country’s largest and oldest youth mentoring organization, today unveils a new, modern look and brand repositioning with the goals of emphasizing the urgency of the Big Brothers Big Sisters mission and recruiting more diverse volunteers nationwide.
“Over the past two years, we listened to our local affiliate leaders, who do the essential work of matching youth with mentors, and it became clear that we needed a modernization of our brand to attract volunteers of all generations,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President and CEO Pam Iorio. “The need in our communities for young people to have a role model is more urgent than ever, and we must evolve as an organization to meet that need.”
The brand transformation, including a new logo, new colors, and new messaging, is part of a multi-part strategy by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to build the foundation that will enable the organization to recruit more volunteers to become mentors (“Bigs”) to youth (“Littles”) in their communities. The organization is upgrading its nationwide technology for tracking programs and mentoring relationships (“matches”), investing in training for staff, leaders, parents, and volunteers, in addition to undergoing this brand transformation.
Months of research by Barkley, the firm managing the brand transformation, including focus groups with potential Bigs, as well as current Bigs, Littles, donors, staff, and leadership, showed that the legacy brand was not effectively connecting with younger, prospective mentors or conveying the urgent mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters. The organization is intentionally pivoting from messages of the importance of mentoring, to messages of the urgent need for every child to have their potential defended and ignited. The mission will remain the same, as will the core model of building bridges in communities by connecting one adult with one child and supporting that match at every stage, but the organization will focus on a child’s potential, and our role as adults in helping children achieve their best possible futures.
“Families across the country are asking for help with complex challenges their children are facing in today’s world,” Iorio said. “Our new messaging, our new look, our new energy, will fuel our movement so we can serve more children across the country.”
The new logo, designed by Barkley with input from the Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate network, key stakeholders, and Littles, is a symbol of the powerful relationships between Bigs and Littles. The little “b,” which symbolizes the Little, is the at the center of the mark, and the green lines that complete the capital “B” symbolize the Big, who empowers the Little’s potential.
Learn more about the new brand positioning, the look, and how to get involved at BigBrothersBigSisters.org. Share the new look and follow updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube using #BBBS.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Since 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been matching youth in meaningful, enduring, professionally supported mentoring relationships with adult volunteers who defend their potential and help them achieve their biggest possible futures. Big Brothers Big Sisters’ evidence-based approach is designed to create positive youth outcomes, including educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and improved relationships. In the past 10 years, with 270 affiliates in all 50 states, Big Brothers Big Sisters has served nearly 2 million children. Learn how to get involved at BigBrothersBigSisters.org.
