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Case: The Paley Center for Media 2007


2007


1976
THE STORY

When a non-profit suffers from dysfunctional branding, it helps to have a board member qualified to say “let’s fix this.” For MT&R, it was the legendary adman Ed Ney, who sponsored a brand review by his friends at Landor Associates.

The name and mark “MT&R” were wrong in about every possible way, beginning with the decision to feature the initials as if they were a viable name. The full name was itself misleading and limiting; this is not a museum (with collections of stuff on display) and doesn’t want to be one, and while it began with television and radio, its current purpose is broader: “a center that convenes media leaders and enthusiasts for programs that explore and illuminate the immense and growing impact of all media on our lives, culture and society.”

When I heard Landor was working on this, I wondered how they could solve it. The name solution is brilliant; when you can possibly use a real name, use it! They were lucky that MT&R was founded by William F. Paley, whose a name is short, distinctive, and fondly remembered. Given “Paley,” “Center for Media” conveys function and scope, and “The” is here justified for enabling the three-syllable communicative name “The Paley.”

The circular wordmark, in which the name is actually repeated, was inspired by the thought of a camera’s focusing lens. Note how weighting and placement help seat “The Paley,” and associate it with “Media.” A clean and clever solution, stable yet dynamic.

The change was launched at a special event and promoted in a comprehensive news release (medium visibility).


CREDITS

Landor (NY)


CASE INFO

Submitted by: Tony Spaeth, 11/03/2008
Status: Estimated by Tony Spaeth
Category: Public service
Country (HQ): United States


MATRIX DATA

DRIVERS

  

TOOLS

Strategic driver: 50%   
Change direction
  Redefine industry or core competence
 15%  x  Identifier tactics: Name change: Borrowed words
    x  Identity system elements: Verbal elements: Formal/legal names
    x  Change event : Medium visibility: Launch event
Broaden scope/scale/visibility
  Remove limiting category association
 15%  x  Identifier tactics: Name change: Borrowed words
    x  Identity system elements: Verbal elements: Formal/legal names
Change expressed personality
  Renew/refresh public image
 20%  x  Identifier tactics: Name change: Borrowed words
    x  Identifier tactics: Logo change: Wordmark-dominant
    x  Identity system elements: Verbal elements: Formal/legal names
    x  Change event : Medium visibility: Launch event
    
Functional driver: 50%   
Name weakness
  Increase name impact & recall
 20%  x  Identifier tactics: Name change: Borrowed words
    x  Identity system elements: Verbal elements: Formal/legal names
Name confusion
  Increase name differentiation
 20%  x  Identifier tactics: Name change: Borrowed words
    x  Identity system elements: Verbal elements: Formal/legal names
Design weakness
  Increase visual strength/quality
 10%  x  Identifier tactics: Logo change: Wordmark-dominant