NHQ scraps PA Rebrand and starts anew!

Started by JohhnyD, March 08, 2020, 08:09:24 PM

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JohhnyD

Branding Update by
Paul S. Cianciolo

Many of you know that we have been talking about branding and a new CAPR 150-2 for several years now. The draft reg itself was in "NHQ purgatory" as PA leadership changed a few times and it got lost in the review process, but it is being resurrected with new life.
With the extension of Maj Gen Smith's term and our new shift to marketing and strategic communications within PA, the brand update was not considered bold enough. Their is a movement from the top to get away from the WWII civil defense triangle and update CAP's vision and mission statements by August.
I know some units have purchased non-expendable marketing items, and I will do what I can to ensure these legacy items can continue to be used unless newer items are provided to the unit from above.
No one knows what the updated logo will look like yet, but it will be integrated into the draft CAPR 150-2, which mostly covers use of our trademarks and emblems along with member responsibilities when using our brand image. There will be further information coming out in the next issue of the PROPS email.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/CAPPAO/

JohhnyD

"Their [sic] is a movement from the top to get away from the WWII civil defense triangle and update CAP's vision and mission statements by August."

So we get a new brand and a new mission and a new vision, all top down. Odd.

baronet68

Quote from: undefined"Their [sic] is a movement from the top to get away from the WWII civil defense triangle and update CAP's vision and mission statements by August."

Seems odd to me for CAP to consider throwing away the one branding icon that's been consistent across the decades.  Kind of like asking Coca-Cola to drop the script/ribbon elements from their brand identity. 
Michael Moore, Lt Col, CAP
National Recruiting & Retention Manager

JohhnyD

Quote from: baronet68 on March 08, 2020, 08:24:13 PM
Quote from: undefined"Their [sic] is a movement from the top to get away from the WWII civil defense triangle and update CAP's vision and mission statements by August."

Seems odd to me for CAP to consider throwing away the one branding icon that's been consistent across the decades.  Kind of like asking Coca-Cola to drop the script/ribbon elements from their brand identity. 
There are (or maybe their) folks who hate the "triangle thingey" as are those who really cannot stand our traditional mission statement. Why? Dunno, but they exist and some of them are at NHQ.

arajca

When you rebrand, you keep an identifiable piece of the previous branding. The resort I work at has rebranded four or five times since I've been here (~30 years). Each time, they kept the basic logo. Size and placement has changed, font has changed, colors have changed, but the basic logo is still there.

JohhnyD

Quote from: arajca on March 08, 2020, 08:36:36 PMWhen you rebrand, you keep an identifiable piece of the previous branding. The resort I work at has rebranded four or five times since I've been here (~30 years). Each time, they kept the basic logo. Size and placement has changed, font has changed, colors have changed, but the basic logo is still there.
That does not appear to be the road they are taking, as sensible as that would be.

Quote from: undefinedWith the extension of Maj Gen Smith's term and our new shift to marketing and strategic communications within PA, the brand update was not considered bold enough. Their is a movement from the top to get away from the WWII civil defense triangle and update CAP's vision and mission statements by August.

RiverAux

The branding has never been our problem.  I will agree that we need to stop talking about WWII service in just about any PA/marketing context as it has zero applicability to today and makes it seem like we haven't done anything better in 75 years. 

GroundHawg

Quote from: RiverAux on March 12, 2020, 11:42:31 AMThe branding has never been our problem.  I will agree that we need to stop talking about WWII service in just about any PA/marketing context as it has zero applicability to today and makes it seem like we haven't done anything better in 75 years. 

Preach

jb3

One of the coolest parts of being an overseas unit is that our "wing" patch is about as original, old-school CAP as it gets. I believe in change, renovation, upgrading, etc. But some things don't actually need to be changed. Just my opinion for what that's worth...

JohhnyD

Quote from: RiverAux on March 12, 2020, 11:42:31 AMI will agree that we need to stop talking about WWII service in just about any PA/marketing context as it has zero applicability to today and makes it seem like we haven't done anything better in 75 years. 
We were born at the very start of WWII - and that fact is relevant. It is part of the WHY we exist, why we are diverse (we were 'woke' before today's SJW crowd was even born) and how we developed into who we are today. We should never, ever lost sight of the fact that 52 American heroes died in WWII and many thousands risked their lives voluntarily and without pay to serve and protect this amazing country.

That said, our missions are morphing right in front of us and we need to stay relevant. Rebranding is a minor thing, we need better tools and a better way to recruit, retain and and train leadership and worker bees.

TheSkyHornet

Quote from: JohhnyD on March 13, 2020, 01:59:40 AM
Quote from: RiverAux on March 12, 2020, 11:42:31 AMI will agree that we need to stop talking about WWII service in just about any PA/marketing context as it has zero applicability to today and makes it seem like we haven't done anything better in 75 years. 
We were born at the very start of WWII - and that fact is relevant. It is part of the WHY we exist, why we are diverse (we were 'woke' before today's SJW crowd was even born) and how we developed into who we are today. We should never, ever lost sight of the fact that 52 American heroes died in WWII and many thousands risked their lives voluntarily and without pay to serve and protect this amazing country.

That said, our missions are morphing right in front of us and we need to stay relevant. Rebranding is a minor thing, we need better tools and a better way to recruit, retain and and train leadership and worker bees.

The relevance of why we started has nothing to do with today's mission(s).

The emphasis needs to be on what we do today and what we're going to do tomorrow when we "show up to work."

Nostalgia is great and all, but it serves no operational purpose.

Capt Thompson

Quote from: TheSkyHornet on March 13, 2020, 03:33:24 PMThe relevance of why we started has nothing to do with today's mission(s).

The emphasis needs to be on what we do today and what we're going to do tomorrow when we "show up to work."

Nostalgia is great and all, but it serves no operational purpose.

True, but the WWII CD logo is the only thing on the current uniform that links us to our heritage, it's the one logo that every CAP member for almost 80 years has worn and is the one logo that comes to mind anytime anyone thinks of CAP. It would be a shame to see it go away.

I wonder what Col Blazich and the folks in the history program think of us saying goodbye to the logo?
Capt Matt Thompson
Deputy Commander for Cadets, Historian, Public Affairs Officer

Mitchell - 31 OCT 98 (#44670) Earhart - 1 OCT 00 (#11401)

Eclipse

I've never worn that insignia, nor has anyone in the last 20 years (other then overseas).

NHQ isn't trying to recruit Col Blazich.

Heritage has it's place, at the top of every poster and the bottom of every press release
is not one of those places, any more then the USAF uses T-6's to recruit kids today.

"That Others May Zoom"

Capt Thompson

Quote from: Eclipse on March 13, 2020, 04:14:47 PMI've never worn that insignia, nor has anyone in the last 20 years (other then overseas).

NHQ isn't trying to recruit Col Blazich.

Heritage has it's place, at the top of every poster and the bottom of every press release
is not one of those places, any more then the USAF uses T-6's to recruit kids today.

Funny, it's on the Command Patch on my FDU, the bullion crest on my blazer, used to be on my service coat buttons etc. Almost every CAP logo has the CD prop logo embedded in it, if you get rid of the tri-prop almost every other logo would need to change too, unless we are keeping it in official emblems and logos and just not using it for marketing.
Capt Matt Thompson
Deputy Commander for Cadets, Historian, Public Affairs Officer

Mitchell - 31 OCT 98 (#44670) Earhart - 1 OCT 00 (#11401)

Eclipse

Yes, the prop is everywhere.

I thought you were talking about the roundel.

There's no reason to get rid of it, however it means nothing to a 12 year old, per se.
And in many cases, discussions of WWII actually dissuade kids from being interested,
especially in the way CAP prattles on about it.

"That Others May Zoom"

Capt Thompson

It was my understanding it was the tri-prop itself, not just the roundel. Agreed, most kids aren't interested much in the WWII history, just what the program is about and can offer them today. None of them will ever have the chance to fly an armed CAP plane in search of enemy subs, so they don't much care that we used to do it.
Capt Matt Thompson
Deputy Commander for Cadets, Historian, Public Affairs Officer

Mitchell - 31 OCT 98 (#44670) Earhart - 1 OCT 00 (#11401)

TheSkyHornet

Quote from: 1st Lt Thompson on March 13, 2020, 04:44:08 PMmost kids aren't interested much in the WWII history, just what the program is about and can offer them today. None of them will ever have the chance to fly an armed CAP plane in search of enemy subs, so they don't much care that we used to do it.

It's not that they're not interested in WWII...

It's that:
a.) Most people who continuously talk about CAP's involvement in WWII draw the "back in my day" like a sword; and,
b.) As you said, most of the discussions surrounding WWII are cut-and-dry that this is something they will never be a part of.

You can't recruit and retain on "back when I was a cadet..."

arajca

But you can bring the cadet story around full circle - the cadet program started by teaching cadets how to fly, not merely orientation type flights, but actual flight instruction. We're coming back to that point, albeit not in the mass numbers of the past.

Eclipse

"You know, we started by teaching cadets to fly!"

"Awesome, can I learn?!"

"Um, well...maybe...after about 4 years, and if you qualify, and there's money in the
budget...um...oh, yeah, you'd have to have a plane nearby and a CFI willing to train
you for free...but yeah, like 50 cadets a year get training...sometimes..."

"Hey, where are you going?  WWII!  WWII! Drones! Come back!"

"That Others May Zoom"

etodd

 Yes, will be interesting to see what civil air patrol is like 15 or 20 years from now. When most of the old guard has passed on, and  the millennial's and generation Z folks are running the whole show.
"Don't try to explain it, just bow your head
Breathe in, breathe out, move on ..."