Re-branding Housing 21 Creative brief for developing a new name and visual identity

Who is Housing 21?

Housing 21 was set up in 1964 as part of the Royal British Legion. In 1992, we changed our name to Housing 21, signalling our commitment to work with all older people, not just those with a service background. In 2009, we acquired the Claimar Care Group, making us one of the UKs five biggest providers of care services and doubling the numbers of customer and employees overnight. We are not a typical housing association. We are: A major provider of older peoples housing in England - for rent and ownership throughout the country A leader in extra care housing One of the largest care providers in England A driving force in the development of dementia services and specialist older peoples mental health services We are a social enterprise; a not for profit organisation. We reinvest profits into the company to improve the services that we offer older people. We manage over 18,000 homes, including bungalows, retirement flats, extra care apartments and homes and specialist accommodation for people with dementia, learning difficulties and mental health problems. We deliver over 123,000 care hours nationally per week. We employ over 7,200 staff We have over 35,000 customers We have a turnover of over 200mill Housing 21 services We offer a wide range of services. Traditionally these services were commissioned by local councils and NHS bodies. However, increasingly we are aiming to market our services directly to customers wanting housing and care services. They would pay for these services either with a personal budget devolved to them by their council or directly from their own pocket.

Our services include (in no particular order): Retirement housing We have retirement housing for rent and ownership throughout the country. We are also a leader in developing extra care housing, enabling residents to enjoy their own home in a setting that provides 24 hour care and support tailored to meet individual requirements. Home ownership We promote independence and choice for older homeowners, especially those with limited capital who still want to invest in a secure future. Our home ownership options include shared ownership and outright sale. Dementia services We are the only housing association with a specialist centre of excellence for older people with dementia Housing 21 Dementia Voice. Our dementia care services help families and carers as well as the person with dementia. Services are highly personalised and our approach focuses on the individuals lifestyle, social and family network, circumstances and environment. End of life care We work with people living in extra care housing to ascertain residents wishes and preferences and to support those choices. Home care services We offer generic and specialist care and support services for older people in our housing, in other providers housing and in their own homes. We also provide culturally appropriate services, live-in services, specialist person-centred services for people with HIV/AIDS, adults with learning disabilities and people with dementia and other long term conditions. Innovative technological solutions We have piloted new approaches to assess what works for older people with dementia. Assistive technology does not replace care but it can aid assessment and provide additional reassurance and support. Reablement Our reablement service provides short-term intensive, personalised support for up to six weeks, helping people live at home again after a hospital admission or similar. Respite and rehabilitation services Some of our extra care schemes provide accommodation for respite care, an important service for carers needing a break. Our respite services also extend to dementia respite care with specialist facilities and support. We are also working in partnership with local authorities to expand rehabilitation services to provide short-term intermediate care for older people. More information can be found at www.housing21.co.uk. All our services aim to help older people enjoy a full and independent life and we want our branding to reflect this.

Our values

Vision A life of choice for older people Mission To promote independence and choice through quality housing and support for older people. Values Caring Individuality Empowering Integrity Improving Investing Ambition we treat everyone with dignity and respect by caring for them. we meet different needs better by respecting people as individuals. we enrich lives by giving people choice and responsibility. we enable people to trust us by being open and honest. we constantly improve by aiming for the highest standards. we do more for people by investing wisely. we deliver more and better services by working to be the

A film showing our staff living our values can be found by clicking on the following link: values film. 3 Our future vision and objectives

Our corporate plan for 2011 2016 sets our vision for the next five years to position us as the go-to provider (you can find the plan at www.housing21.co.uk/aboutus/publications/corporate-and-financial/). We will deliver this vision through our seven corporate objectives: Objective 1 Growing and responding locally Be the lead provider of services for older people in a significant number of localities Objective 2 Direct customer engagement Increase substantially the number of customers purchasing services directly from Housing 21 Objective 3 Enabling a good later life Provide a range of services and activities to encourage independence and enable a good later life. Objective 4 - Profile, positioning and reputation Become the Go To provider that people trust to understand and respond to the needs, expectations and aspirations of people in later life Objective 5 - Dementia expertise Achieve significant expansion in dementia services and consolidate Housing 21s expertise. Objective 6 Housing excellence Achieve retirement housing standards; meeting the needs of our service users and maximise returns on property. Objective 7 - Financial strength Enhance financial fortitude and build capacity to develop and deliver services for a diverse range of needs

By 2016 we will: Increase the number of customers to 75,000 Be the largest provider in 25 localities Provide 200,000 of care hours per week Develop 4,000 additional housing units and 2,000 leasehold units Develop all our courts and schemes as community hubs Grow direct sales of services and properties to 50% Deliver support services to 25,000 people in the community Have Dementia advisory service and palliative care nurses in 10 localities The first part of our vision is being implemented with a regional structure in place to deliver a joined-up service and a single contact point for customers. We are also increasingly focussing on individual customers as well as commissioners. We will be working in increasingly turbulent and competitive times and will need to ensure that our voice is heard clearly. Never has there been a greater need for a consistent, flexible and high profile brand that truly reflects our aspirations and values. Our branding and communications will need to be of the highest quality to support the organisation in: Marketing our homes for sale, rent, part buy and also our services so that by 2016 50% of our clients are individual payers Continuing to demonstrate high value to commissioners at a time when budgets are under increasing pressures Ensuring that we play a visible part in debates about core issues that affect us and our customers, such as personal budgets and the funding of social care Acting as a champion for older people and lobbying and influencing on issues that affect them Engaging effectively with the local communities and understanding their needs. Sharing our expertise in areas such as dementia and building our profile as an expert provider Ensuring that all our staff act as ambassadors for the organisation. They are our key point of contact with customers. 4 Stakeholder feedback and views

An audit of external stakeholders was undertaken in spring 2010 as part of developing the Corporate Branding and Communications Strategy. These stakeholders included national opinion formers and commissioners rather than individual customers (the report is available by request). The audit indicated that external opinion was split as to whether the brand name Housing 21 was confusing or misleading in light of the breadth of our services. Some respondents felt that the Housing 21 brand was well established now after many years with its residents and service users. Others felt that that our name did not reflect the full range of services especially where we are seeking to connect with people or organisations who are new to Housing 21. Some respondents suggested that we consider developing a better tag line or headline descriptor of its services that crystallises our mission in terms of who it helps and how. Generally speaking those people who have had contact with Housing 21 in the past feel comfortable with the brand, whereas those that have had little contact and are

therefore looking at the name for a clue as to what Housing 21 does - find the name confusing and misleading, or simply without meaning ie 21 (which some people associate with 21-year-olds or younger people in general). The feedback suggests that Housing 21 is not getting any particular value from its current name in new markets. If we are to reach new audiences, then the name may cause confusion, or, at least, limit peoples understanding of the breadth of our services. Since the name was created we have developed a much broader offer of care, health and housing. The market, offer and client profile have all changed and we need to respond to these changes with a new brand. Having the name centred around the word housing is no longer appropriate for the new markets that we are targeting. We have also exceeded the 21 timeline (as this refers to the year 2000). 5 The project

In order to achieve our aims, the Housing 21 Board has agreed on a full re-branding of the company, including a new name and new visual identity. At a time when we are becoming more ambitious in our business and marketing aims, we need a strong, clear unambiguous identity to position us as the go-to provider. The individual customers that we are seeking to target are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their expectations. The brand, too, will need to work successfully across an increasing range of communications channels. The brand can be described as the promise made to the customer. The visual brand is often the customers first contact with the company whether through the website, signage or our publications. As such, it makes an important visual statement about the quality and standard of services that we provide. However, it also needs to be backed with excellent customer care 5,1 Project aims

To develop a new name and a new visual identity which: Positions us as the go to provider Communicates clearly the breadth, diversity and content of our services Makes a clear visual statement about the quality of our services To maintain (as far as possible) the positive associations with Housing 21 and to manage a smooth transfer to the new identity. 5.2 The process

At this stage, we see the process for rebranding as divided into two clear parts; name and visual development and have set out the project elements below. However, we do not wish to be entirely prescriptive and are happy to receive alternative proposals. The naming process, once defined will feed directly into the creative process. The main stages of the re-branding process are: Research and analysis The naming process

The visual identity Implementation We wish to commission an agency to deliver all the first three pieces of work and to make recommendations for the fourth (implementation). A cross-departmental project group will steer the tendering process to recruit a creative agency. They will also ensure that the final branding solution delivers on the aims above. Research and analysis Brand analysis what does our brand represent to existing and potential customers? How does it compare with our competitors? What kind of look and feel do we want our brand to communicate? How much authority does our brand have to comment on and influence issues affecting our customers? An analysis of the markets where Housing 21 should have a profile; our current standing in these markets and some thoughts or recommendations on how we increase our presence in these markets. An understanding of the customer journey and decision making when choosing Housing 21 and how this impacts upon our branding and marketing A visual audit to assess the effectiveness of existing marketing activity, consistency and reflection of brand values. Secondary research and market testing using a broad mix of staff (including those based in our six regions and courts), customers, stakeholders and industry. These groups can be used on more than one occasion as the project develops, helping to steer the project. The naming process and strapline The process for naming will be a combination of creativity and filtering all the information on research, opinion, markets and corporate aims. It is natural for people to have strong views about our names and the options for change and, in fact, staff have already started making suggestions. However, we need to avoid bowing to peoples personal preferences, based on subjective opinion and tastes. The new name will need to be measured against the brief and to reflect our vision and values. It will need to be tested on internal and external stakeholder groups. As Housing 21 will be operating in its existing markets with a new name and corporate personality and in new markets where it is less well known, one or more descriptive straplines may help the audience to understand our role better. Developing the visual identity (and supporting guidelines) Having arrived at a preferred name a more detailed and considered process would start to develop a final version of the name as a logo. The judgment criteria would be centred on our vision and values as well as aesthetics and longevity. The aim will be to develop a logo that fully supports and espouses the values in particular and is therefore able to articulate the personality of the organisation as it changes and evolves. Having established a new name, logo design and descriptive strapline the final part of the brand toolkit will be the setting of initial design standards for all

communications. These include the use of image, colour, typography and tone-ofvoice across all communications media. Once approved, the design standards will be published in an initial guidelines document. Launch and implementation The launch of marketing materials will have to be carefully considered. We may consider developing a national campaign to tie in with the launch and to raise our profile. Similarly, implementing the new brand will require some consideration. To simply replace items as they come up for renewal will not be appropriate in all cases as they will bear the name of another company. However, to replace everything on Day 1 may not be practical or easily affordable. We would welcome recommendations on how the new brand can be implemented across a huge range of materials including: Advertising Billboards Building signage, including external and internal signage Intranet Internal newsletters and publications Letterheads and stationery Livery on vans and vehicles Marketing leaflets, posters and other materials Staff uniforms (including carers shirts, hi-fi jackets, hard hats) Website Social media, such as LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter and facebook To allow maximum accessibility, we would only want to use standard fonts and colours. The aim is to have the new name and visual identity agreed by the Board by April 2012. We will need to agree a clear and staged plan of implementation for its roll-out after this date. 6 The selection process

Our chosen agency will need to demonstrate: An understanding of Housing 21 An understanding of the environment in which Housing 21 operates An understanding of our customers and competitors A track record of working on high profile national rebranding projects (with many different streams of activities across different markets) A track record of consulting and engaging external and internal stakeholders in developing branding solutions Evidence of delivering branding solutions that deliver business success Experience of working across both the public and private/retail sectors A track record of implementing branding solutions with minimal disruption

The project group will be responsible for working with our chosen agency to develop the new name and visual identity. The choice will be made based on the extent to which the new brand: Reflects our aspirations and ambitions Connects with existing and potential customers and those who influence them (eg families and friends, advisory organisations) Has been tested on customers Reflects our breadth and diversity of services Reflects the quality of our services Embodies our values Focuses on positive outcomes and imagery Is equally effective as a national brand and working in six very different regions Is clear and easily legible in a range of media 7 The tender process

We are inviting written responses to this brief. Your response should include: Your approach to the project The process you would undertake to develop the name and visual identity How you would engage and involve internal and external stakeholders Your proposals for implementation Costs Your ability to meet the timescale of April 2012 and a project plan setting out how you intend to achieve this References for two clients for whom you have delivered comparable projects Information on comparable projects that you have delivered CVs of staff who will work on the project Written responses and any enquiries should be sent to: Julie Hollings, Head of Communications & Marketing Housing 21, The Triangle, Baring Road, Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 2NA Email: julie.hollings@housing21.co.uk Tel: 0370 192 4203 / 07968 847539 The deadline for submitting written responses is Monday 9 January 2012. We are happy to receive proposals from groups or alliances of agencies. The project group will shortlist 3 4 agencies to present to Housing 21. The presentations will take place on a date to be agreed between 16 and 23 January 2012. The decision will be made soon afterwards. Your proposed costing should cover the development of a new name, strapline, visual identity and design guidelines. At this stage, they do not need to include: Fees from intellectual property specialists and trademark agents Reprinting stationary or replacing court and other signage