Finding the Unique Brand Essence of MorseLife

LeBron James, Target and Apple are unrelated enterprises, but they have one thing in common:  Each is a powerful brand. There are many basketball champions, but only one “King James.” Likewise, both Target and Apple are brands with unique qualities that are unmistakably theirs.

Strong brands communicate their qualities through a clearly defined and well communicated brand essence, communicated with a recognizable logo, consistent messaging, designs, events, ads, partnerships, publicity and other consistent marketing tactics.

When MorseLife Health System sought Pierson Grant’s services for creating a program to provide desperately needed assistance to low-income Holocaust Survivors in Palm Beach County, the first step was capturing the brand essence of the lifeline of services MorseLife planned to provide and distinguish it from the other programs being managed by a variety of Jewish non-profit organizations.

We determined that the unique brand essence was its immediacy.  Most Survivors were in their 80s and 90s. Helping them immediately, in their old age when their needs were greatest, was the foundation of the program. There was no time to waste. The need was great and the time was now.  And so the MorseLife NOW For Holocaust Survivors came to be.  Within the first year of promoting it to existing and potential donors, the program had a strong enough identity to be recognized simply as NOW.

The branding program consisted of a logo, branded eblasts to stakeholders, food delivery events, one-on-one media interviews with Survivors, infographics documenting current and future needs, impact reports and video.

The results were that, in less than a year, NOW For Holocaust Survivors was now a recognizable brand associated with MorseLife’s commitment to this sacred responsibility.