Autism Society of America Launches New Branding Effort
Autism Society of America Launches New Branding Effort
We love the ASA, don't get us wrong. But, man... business is business, isn't it? Exactly how much of our charitable contributions went to the "re-branding" effort? ASA was one of our first beneficiaries for the funds raised with the IMAGINE™ Wristband. We received a great response from them in December of 2004 when we informed them of the news. Then we never heard from them again... However, we do have the cancelled checks, so I suppose that is some form of acknowledgement. For me the biggest slap in the face came four months later when they launched their own "official ASA" autism wristband. It seems that overcoming the competitive corporate nature of executives is not to be expected even for charitable organizations.
Lee Grossman said it himself: "Our branding initiative seeks to take ASA to a new, more competitive level both inside and outside the autism community by raising public consciousness about autism." That's terrific Lee, but exactly who are you competing against? Cure Autism Now? NAAR? "Our goal was to create a new identity that truly reflected the power and presence the Autism Society of America deserves," says the Chief Brand Strategist from Fishtank Brand Advertising, the company responsible for the new campaign. A new identity? What exactly are we selling here? Tuna Fish?
Its events like this that increase my cynicism. I don't like to be a cynic, but how can you now be in times like this? And really... "The Voice of Autism" - that is a bit presumptuous isn't it? And of course, the part I love the most (being a computer guy); "The organization's site is now easier to navigate and full of new interactive components, making it more user-friendly." Really? Have you been there? The main page is almost completely barren. There used to be alot of good information there, and an easy way to find am ASA chapter in your area. Now it looks more like a focus on "The ASA Store" and subscribing to "The Advocate".
The ASA does a lot of good things. They have a tremendous grass roots membership, with local chapters all aorund the country. But I have to wonder whats really going on at the top of the organization. Care to increase exposure? Perhaps your first step should be wresting autismsociey.org and autismsociety.com away from the cybersquatters who own them. Haven't looked into that? One has an address of General Delivery in Grand Caman, the other is veiled by a privacy service. Do you realize that these are nothing but pay-per-click "parked" domains? In other words, the links you see on these sites are put there by an advertising program, and the owner of the link pays the owner of the site everytime someone clicks it. So not only is ASA missing people who are trying to go to their site, but if the person clicks on the ASA link from one of these pages, ASA actually has to pay for it!
Is it too much to ask to try and get our priorities straight?
The Autism Society of America
We love the ASA, don't get us wrong. But, man... business is business, isn't it? Exactly how much of our charitable contributions went to the "re-branding" effort? ASA was one of our first beneficiaries for the funds raised with the IMAGINE™ Wristband. We received a great response from them in December of 2004 when we informed them of the news. Then we never heard from them again... However, we do have the cancelled checks, so I suppose that is some form of acknowledgement. For me the biggest slap in the face came four months later when they launched their own "official ASA" autism wristband. It seems that overcoming the competitive corporate nature of executives is not to be expected even for charitable organizations.
Lee Grossman said it himself: "Our branding initiative seeks to take ASA to a new, more competitive level both inside and outside the autism community by raising public consciousness about autism." That's terrific Lee, but exactly who are you competing against? Cure Autism Now? NAAR? "Our goal was to create a new identity that truly reflected the power and presence the Autism Society of America deserves," says the Chief Brand Strategist from Fishtank Brand Advertising, the company responsible for the new campaign. A new identity? What exactly are we selling here? Tuna Fish?
Its events like this that increase my cynicism. I don't like to be a cynic, but how can you now be in times like this? And really... "The Voice of Autism" - that is a bit presumptuous isn't it? And of course, the part I love the most (being a computer guy); "The organization's site is now easier to navigate and full of new interactive components, making it more user-friendly." Really? Have you been there? The main page is almost completely barren. There used to be alot of good information there, and an easy way to find am ASA chapter in your area. Now it looks more like a focus on "The ASA Store" and subscribing to "The Advocate".
The ASA does a lot of good things. They have a tremendous grass roots membership, with local chapters all aorund the country. But I have to wonder whats really going on at the top of the organization. Care to increase exposure? Perhaps your first step should be wresting autismsociey.org and autismsociety.com away from the cybersquatters who own them. Haven't looked into that? One has an address of General Delivery in Grand Caman, the other is veiled by a privacy service. Do you realize that these are nothing but pay-per-click "parked" domains? In other words, the links you see on these sites are put there by an advertising program, and the owner of the link pays the owner of the site everytime someone clicks it. So not only is ASA missing people who are trying to go to their site, but if the person clicks on the ASA link from one of these pages, ASA actually has to pay for it!
Is it too much to ask to try and get our priorities straight?
The Autism Society of America
posted by Dwight @ 1:47 PM
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