Ideasicle X, Ernie Schenck, and Conductor Partner for Rogerson Communities, Form Firebrand

When Rogerson Communities, a Boston-based provider of housing and healthcare for older adults needed a ‘Brand Positioning Study’ they called on Rich Schreuer, a market researcher with Echo Cove Research. He tested multiple broad positions for the brand and the messaging was starting to emerge.

But they needed a branding partner to give these insights meaning and relevance.

The answer was CEO Will Burns and Ideasicle X. Burns explains what happened next. “We had research on the outside audiences and their perceptions of the brand, but we wanted to know what the people who worked at Rogerson thought of the organization. So we started there.”

Burns continues, “Once the strategy was approved, I recruited a creative team of four experienced writers, including Ernie Schenck, David Baldwin, and Monica Taylor, using the Ideasicle X web application and we came up with two rounds of 10 different taglines. As part of the Ideasicle X process, one of the assigned creatives on the taglines project—Ernie Schenck—was also assigned to write a manifesto to bring to life (and make actionable) the approved tagline.”

“That was as far as we normally took our branding projects. But Ernie Schenck had the idea to create a larger brand offering where we don’t stop with the manifesto, but instead go all the way to a produced video (light bulb moment). I loved the idea but we needed a production partner we could count on,” adds Burns.

“The answer for an anthem video was found with production company, Conductor, and Head of Growth and Relationships, Mike Wilmot and Executive Producer Margie Sullivan. I’d worked with both of them before and figured I’d approach them about turning manifestos like the Rogerson Manifesto into compelling brand videos. They agreed and joined Ideasicle X and Ernie Schenck.  We had our partner and Ideasicle Firebrand was born,” said Burns.

The result for Rogerson, with voiceover from Lance Jensen, is a tagline, manifesto, and a 2:00 minute video called “The Art of Well Being” which visually and impactfully illustrates Rogerson’s brand and their commitment to healthy aging.

Rogerson Vice President, Advancement and Marketing Courtney Barth commented, “Our gratitude for your deep understanding and generosity is truly incalculable.  Rogerson has been in existence for nearly 165 years, and because of your work, the organization finally has the perfect words and vision for what we do. We can’t wait to share it with everyone. Thank you!”

Researcher Rich Schreuer adds, “I’ve worked with a lot of creative agencies and found that most feel constrained by research, believing that it limits their creative freedom. Ideasicle X takes the opposite approach, using research as the foundation for their creative execution. Indeed, I’ve never seen an agency embrace research insights like this. You can clearly see the research come to life throughout the brand video.”

The video will be used to inform employees and outside vendors of the Rogerson brand. It will also be seen on the Rogerson website, at their donor gala in the spring and on social media channels.

Creative credits belong to Will Burns and Ideasicle X for strategy and brand idea concepts/manifesto, writer Ernie Schenck, Production Margie Sullivan and Mike Wilmot at Conductor, Editor Ellen Lacy and Voiceover, Lance Jensen.

Source: Ideasicle Firebrand

  Agency, Conductor, Ellen Lacy, Ernie Schenck, Ideasicle Firebrand, Ideasicle X, Lance Jensen, Margie Sullivan, Mike Wilmot, Rich Schreuer, Rogerson Communities, Will Burns