After Bloomerang acquired a competitor, they needed to craft a brand identity that amplifies the best of both companies and elevates the new company’s mission.
Bloomerang is a donor management platform built to empower nonprofit professionals and accelerate nonprofit organization growth. The company acquired another software provider in their space called Kindful in late 2020. The goal of the acquisition was to create the fundraising platform of the future for small and midsize nonprofits. Together, Studio Science and Bloomerang built a new brand identity that better reflects its mission and values. The result: an updated visual identity, enhanced brand and product messaging, and a way forward toward growth in its market.
The nonprofit technology marketplace is both challenging and unique: its target audiences are rarely digital natives, operate on tight budgets, and due to high turnover work without the benefit of long-term institutional knowledge. Investing in technology is a priority that is typically put on the backburner.
An acquisition is more than just an agreement to purchase another company. It’s also an opportunity for two entities to combine the best of both companies: people, product, and purpose.
For Bloomerang and Kindful, retaining the spirit of each team was as important as properly messaging the resulting new brand. Bloomerang and Kindful collaborated with Studio Science to achieve the following:
“Maintaining the spirit of each brand was important to us. Our work with Studio Science guided us toward a more complete understanding of how to present an updated Bloomerang to new and existing audiences.”
Steven Shattuck
Chief Engagement Officer, Bloomerang
Recognizing the need to center on people to highlight the product, Studio Science gathered a team to guide Bloomerang and Kindful toward a stronger, unified brand. Customer interviews and other research revealed both companies had strong name recognition and loyal customer bases. The products also complemented each other; and by merging, the new product would offer the features the previous brands lacked.
By reimagining the existing Bloomerang brand and augmenting it with Kindful’s product and team values, Studio Science crafted a brand identity that magnifies the company’s core values. The results of the collaboration included:
“Combining two brands and their identities is a challenge. It requires us to pull those brands apart, examine each element, and rebuild something that’s more than the sum of its parts. Bloomerang’s team was eager to take that challenge on, and the result is a thoughtful and inclusive identity.”
Sharmin Kent, Narrative Lead, Studio Science
Merging two brands and products is an iterative process and, through its engagement with Studio Science, the new Bloomerang with Kindful’s roots completed the first stage of its evolution. By updating both the visual elements of the brand and revisiting value propositions and mission, vision, and values, Bloomerang’s new brand clearly articulates its promise of serving those who serve. Next steps include working with Studio Science to align its web presence and product offerings with its new brand identity.
