Taking Citizenship Global

I’m writing from Hong Kong where the World Council of YMCAs met last week and where the YMCA World Urban Network is now underway.  We’ve made the transition from a 1,100-person conversation about global citizenship to a much smaller one on the health of children and youth with chief executives of large urban Associations. In between [...]

Making Our Mark

I grew up in southern Alberta in the ’50s where I learned that a brand distinguishes one herd of cattle from another.  All ranches took great pride in their unique markings.  Each mark sent a clear message to potential consumers about quality and value.  Today, I live in Vancouver where branding still means this and a whole lot more.  [...]

US YMCA Launches New Brand Strategy

Our American YMCA colleagues made a big decision yesterday at their 2010 General Assembly in Utah.  After an intensive two-year process, they decided to pursue a new brand strategy.  It includes simplifying their story, calling themselves the “Y”, and changing their logo.  The strategy also has implications for how they are governed and structured.  The New York [...]