Fighting for the visually impaired for more than a century, the Danish Association of the Blind has a strong purpose – one that other brands would kill for. Just as we try to understand and make sense of the people we meet, we also try to make sense of the companies and organizations we encounter. This impacts the way we respond to a brand, and that is why purpose is so important. We are very pleased to announce that we are helping the Danish Association of the Blind with critical analysis and brand strategy development to help the organization become even more effective at living and expressing their purpose.
Having a strong organizational purpose isn’t always enough. A truly great purpose has to settle in the minds of people – they have to understand what the purpose of the organization is and relate to it. Accordingly, as the first step in working with the brand of the Danish Association of the Blind, we are exploring the existing perceptions of the brand and the Danish brand name and whether or not the purpose of the organization uses its potential to its full extend.
The Danish Association of the Blind is lead by people who suffer from blindness or severe visual impairment. The association was founded as a small movement in 1911 but with 8.500 members it has grown into an important handicap organization with political impact.
Mapping conceptions of the organization
Through an anthropological study we interviewed stakeholders from different parts of the Danish Association of the Blind as well as Danes who have no association to the organization at all, to explore how people perceive and relate to the brand. On one end, I visited blind and visually impaired members in their homes and achieved insights into what it means to be a member of the Danish Association of the Blind. I found it inspiring and quite meaningful to listen to their stories, and learn how they identify with the organization whose sole purpose is to help them achieve the best possible living conditions in spite of their handicap. On another end, I interviewed people who had barely even heard about the organization and used word-association exercises to gain an external perspective on the organization. A lot of Danes know of the brand but they can’t really explain what it stands for. Unfortunately, there are also a few misperceptions of what the organization does.
Expressing purpose
What I found together with my colleagues was a great potential to strengthen the brand by convincingly expressing the purpose. I’m sure we can make it easier for people – inside and outside of the organization – to make sense of the brand and answer the question: What is the purpose of Danish Association of the Blind and what are they trying to achieve?
So how can the Danish Association of the Blind express their purpose in an effective and meaningful way? We have only just begun our collaboration, and I look very much forward to working closely with the organization to help them revitalize their brand and promote an important cause.
