Historical Society Branding

Client: The Madison Housing Authority of Madison, NJ

Scope: Branding, Strategy, Marketing, Website

• Brand Development and Strategy, Logo Mark and Variations, Style Guide, Brand Identity System

• Social Media Strategy, Marketing Strategy, Canva Templates and Tutorial for Social Media

• Branded Apparel and products

• Website Design and Development, Squarespace Training

Overview:

The Madison Historical Society, trusted guardians of local Madison NJ history for over a century, sought to establish a brand identity and digital presence. Recognizing the need to adapt to modern communication channels, the committee of 7 dedicated volunteers approached Pfeifer Design for a comprehensive solution encompassing brand development and strategy, website design, social media strategy, and marketing strategy. The collaboration ensured that Madison's rich history remains not only preserved but also accessible and engaging for generations to come.

Challenges:

• No Brand Identity

• Limited Online Presence: The client recognized the necessity of a robust online presence to engage with a wider audience, including younger demographics - to raise community awareness and engagement, communicate their services and resources, and increase membership and participation.

• Need for Marketing Strategies: Historical societies often face challenges in marketing themselves effectively to diverse audiences.

Pfeifer Design's Approach:

Brand Development, Design, and Strategy:

• Conducted a thorough brand audit to understand and express the historical society's values, mission, and vision, target audiences, and position in the community.

• Developed a new brand identity and messaging, including a logo suite with color palette, and visual elements that retained the essence of Madison's history while reflecting modern design principles.

• Aligned the brand strategy with the society's commitment to responsible stewardship, education, community engagement, and inclusivity.

• Deliverables included a style guide with brand assets, identity system for print and digital use, templates for presentations, branded items, and newsletter design and template.

Website Design view here:

• Conducted user experience (UX) research to understand the needs and preferences of the society's audience.

• Crafted an intuitive and visually captivating website, serving as a comprehensive hub for Madison's history. The site actively promotes community engagement, facilitates membership recruitment, offers volunteer opportunities, and provides essential information on utilizing MHS’s services and resources.

• Implemented forms and e-commerce for easier membership dues collection, book sales in the future, volunteer opportunities, newsletter sign-up, and inquiries.

• Introduced the group to blogging as a way to showcase interesting and newsworthy articles and resources.

• Implemented a calendar and upcoming event feature for their speaker series and events.

• Trained team members to make updates to events and blog areas for self-maintenance in Squarespace platform.

Social Media Strategy:

• Crafted a social media strategy tailored to the unique characteristics of their local historical content, creating a balance between educational and engaging posts. Strategy includes engaging with various demographics in their audience.

• Leveraged platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to share historical anecdotes, visual content, and promote upcoming events.

Marketing:

• Developed a multi-channel marketing plan to promote the brand launch and ongoing initiatives.

• Utilized newsletter, email campaigns, and partnerships with local media to increase awareness and effectively reach their audience.

Results:

Brand Resonance: The new brand identity received positive feedback for its modern, authentic representation of Madison's history, instilling pride in society members and the community. With the tagline "A window into our history," the brand uses the window symbol, not only as a literal representation of the historic and iconic Hartley Dodge Memorial building, which will house the future museum, but also to embody transparency, connection and a portal to the past, fostering continuity and understanding. The brand suite is adaptable to expand to the museum which will open in the future and will be a great means of community engagement.

Digital Engagement: The website is a central hub for historical exploration, attracting a diverse audience and promoting educational initiatives.

Community Connection: Social media channels hope to see increased followership and engagement, with the society becoming an active participant in online historical discussions and recollections and contributions from the community.

Event Success: With more visibility and engagement, they expect virtual and physical events to draw larger audiences, showcasing the society's relevance in contemporary contexts, and encouraging membership and participation.