Public Image - OUR IMAGE MATTERS!

A few years ago, Rotary International decided to conduct research about our brand. We knew what our brand stood for, but what did it mean to the general public? They hired siegal+gale, which are branding specialists to find out and report back with their findings. Rotary International was told that we were no longer competitive with other organization that were seeking to grow their membership. A new logo was designed to represent Rotary's mission to strengthen membership, and show a vitality by creating new materials to reach those that weren't joining.

In the above video, you'll hear John Hewko, the General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation and Hayley Berlent, Senior Strategy Director with siegal+gale, explain the reasons and the expected outcome of this change in Rotary's voice.

For more than 100 years, Rotary has united leaders who are committed to using their expertise to take action and improve their communities. Awareness of Rotary is high. But public understanding of who we are, what we do, and the value we bring to communities is concerningly low. It’s important that we tell our story in ways that help people everywhere understand what Rotary does, how we’re different, and why our work matters. Without this understanding, we can’t reach our full potential and bring more people together and improve even more communities worldwide.

No other organization is quite like Rotary. By using our unique voice consistently in all our messaging, we can ensure that our communications reflect our distinct character. Read Rotary's "Messaging Guide" which helps bring our story to life.

If we speak, write, and design in one voice, our communications will sound, read, and look unmistakably like Rotary. This will give our audiences a better understanding of who we are. Together, we can show the world that we’re people of action.

Rotary as a Brand

A brand is more than a logo. Rotary’s brand is much bigger than its wheel. It’s a perception: it’s how others think about us, not just how we see ourselves.

When we talk about the Rotary brand, we’re talking about the basic qualities and goals that unite all Rotary clubs and districts — it’s what we offer people who partner with us, join a club, or participate in our programs and projects. Our brand reflects our identity, our vision, and our essence, as well as our values. It represents our unique culture and our approach to creating lasting, positive change.

People’s perception of Rotary comes from their experiences with our clubs and programs, along with the stories we tell and the images we share. Compelling, consistent brand communications — together with a great experience — can strengthen our brand and help us engage and attract more members, donors, and partners.