Wake County Bar Association’s Comprehensive Rebranding

RALEIGH, N.C. — June 3, 2014: Innovative creative services agency The Marketing Machine (theMmachine.com) has been tapped by the Wake County Bar Association (WCBA) to guide the active 2,400-member organization through a comprehensive rebranding process.

Serving legal professionals with a myriad of professional, educational and social activities, the WCBA is looking to improve its communications and attract new attorneys as part of its mission to promote a closer union and fellowship among lawyers and judiciary and promote high standards of professionalism and ethics.

“We surveyed our membership and realized we had a really valuable service that we were not communicating effectively, which led us to look at how we presented ourselves to non-members as well,” Gray Styers, WCBA president, said.

According to Styers, the WCBA had begun upgrading its use of technology and social media but had not necessarily upgraded its text-based communications to reflect today’s more visually demanding trends. Member retention, explaining WCBA benefits more efficiently, upgrading internal communications, and finding new ways to reach out to the remainder of the more than 5,000 attorneys in Wake County are some of the goals of moving in this new direction, he said.

These goals are being addressed, in part, by The Marketing Machine’s creative services team which is working with the WCBA to give its corporate brand a new look and feel, in addition to updating its member touch points, such as its Bar Flyer newsletter, and other recruitment materials.

Out of four phases of the project, phase I – currently underway – includes a new logo, messaging, Bar Flyer, and welcome packet for attorneys who recently passed the Bar exam, in addition to a newly standardized email marketing toolbox. These elements will form the foundation of additional WCBA outreach efforts.

“The revamped collateral material will be a game changer,” Executive Director Whitney D. G. von Haam said.

Pointing out that the Association surveyed members as part of a strategic planning effort in 2013, von Haam said the resulting data identified areas of concern that required attention through improved marketing communication.

“The fact that the Wake County Bar Association provides free continuing legal education to members is a key differentiator, as most associations charge for it. We need to do a better job of communicating key benefits like this,” she explained.

The Marketing Machine participated in an RFP process for the WCBA’s rebranding effort, winning the bid thanks to the agency’s experience serving clients in the legal community, along with its proven track record of providing comprehensive branding, marketing expertise and strategy, campaign planning, project management and graphic design solutions.

“At the original meeting with our task force, it was clear The Marketing Machine team had real excitement and insight into the possibilities and potential for what we are trying to do, plus the vision to guide us through the process,” von Haam said.

The rebranding project is being conducted while the WCBA continues with its many luncheons, CLE classes, service projects, and other special events like its upcoming July luncheon recognizing members who have been practicing law for more than 50 years.

“Working with the WCBA has been seamless, with ongoing communication about the rebranding process and continual feedback which helps us make any quick pivots as they become necessary,” Paul Spinak, president of The Marketing Machine said, adding, “Phase I is going smoothly thanks mostly to the WCBA’s openness to building a strong, team-oriented partnership and giving us creative latitude to do our job.”

The Marketing Machine uses its portfolio of essential core services to keep clients’ brands in front of prospects and customers and to grow their market share, providing quality, innovative marketing consulting; advertising campaign development; creative services; web design, strategy and internet advertising; direct mail; email marketing; and a wide array of supporting services such as video production, photography and public relations.

For more information contact Paul Spinak.

About The Marketing Machine: The Marketing Machine is your go-to partner for comprehensive branding, marketing expertise and strategy, campaign planning, project management and graphic design solutions. We are an innovative creative services agency specializing in helping our customers grow their businesses, whether it’s a company getting serious about their marketing or a high-profile nonprofit or corporation whose marcom staff is wearing too many hats and needs a reliable partner. The Marketing Machine boasts years of experience and expertise working with business owners, C-level executives and marketing directors as an outsourced member of their internal team, enabling TMM to address every project with open communication and a focus on professionalism. Our creativity-friendly business structure and location in the heart of the action in downtown Raleigh help create an environment of excitement and innovation in our team that’s passed along to our clients in the work we do. Learn more about how you can start building and maintaining a strong brand at theMmachine.com.