1.3 million members and growing: hear them roar.

With more volunteers in more places than any other service organization in the world, Lions has a lot to be proud of. But in an era defined both by the phenomenon of “Bowling Alone” and the rise of more high-profile, celebrity-driven nonprofits, affiliation was increasingly becoming a challenging task. This venerable organization needed a more focused, relevant articulation of its brand.

 
 

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Lions needed to attract the attention of younger audiences who were searching for a shared sense of identity, values, and community involvement. To accomplish this, the organization required a rejuvenated branding effort.

Lipman Hearne canvassed 45,000 volunteers and leaders worldwide through personal interviews, in-depth studies, and online surveys. We dug deep into the clubs that were successfully retaining and growing membership.

The resulting brand strategy drove creative that kicked off just in time for the Lions Clubs International Convention and 90th anniversary celebration. From the moment members from around the world stepped off the plane in Chicago, they were greeted by multi-channel communications. And the rest of the city learned that Lions were still relevant and remarkable--ordinary people committed to making a big impact.

 
Informed by extensive market research, the brand platform serves as a distillation of Lions’ purpose, promise, and attributes.
Sidewalk advertising welcomed Lions from around the world to a conference in Chicago—and reminded everyone of Lions’ remarkable reach.
Lions’ classic logo was subtly updated to make it more web-friendly. New identity guidelines encourage consistency worldwide.
The redesigned Lion magazine brings a contemporary editorial look to reportage that covers the globe.
The editorial plan for the new Lion magazine emphasizes impact and offers concrete tools for helping members achieve even more.
The new home page welcomes members from 202 countries--in 11 languages.
An engaging “by the numbers” page quantifies the global impact of Lions activities.
The interactive map displays “micro-stories” contributed by members about successful service projects. Members started contributing stories within an hour of launch.