New fund-raising plan targets private donors

General Article

Center aims marketing message at major philanthropists to generate $40 million in annual donations to fuel research initiatives

The Center's logo and tagline were revised to more fully support the new marketing strategy, capturing the essence of the marketing plan's emphasis on scientific research and life-affirming messages.

As the Hutchinson Center's science has evolved, its well-deserved reputation has spread throughout the research community. While it is well-known among scientists and patients worldwide, the Center has been something of a regional secret among philanthropists.

Starting this month, the Center begins the rollout of a new marketing plan to change that, strategically aimed at raising awareness among private financial supporters.

Stemming from the 2005-2009 strategic plan, the purpose is to extend the Center's fund-raising reach to major donors around the country, with a goal of increasing private donations 60 percent to $40 million annually. The bottom line of these efforts: to fill the funding gap created by increasing costs of new research and plateauing federal grant levels.

"Over the years, we've been quietly growing and becoming internationally known, so it was time to re-examine our image and to make it match the size and stature of who we are today," said Peggy Means, senior vice president for strategic development. An organization's image, or brand, is a collection of perceptions in the mind of the consumer — or donor, in the Hutchinson Center's case. Means said enhanced marketing messages and materials are intended to better define the Center's strengths and values in donors' minds and make a compelling case for supporting us.

Increased fund-raising goal

During last year's strategic-planning process, the extent of the Center's growth and evolution became clear. When the areas of planned growth were identified — early detection, solid tumors, global health and immunotherapy — it was apparent that all four initiatives had technology-intensive components. When combined with the planned growth in the Center's core areas of emphasis, it was apparent that a significant increase in funding would be needed. While the Hutchinson Center receives more research grants from the National Institutes of Health than any other independent research institution, increases in this federal funding have flattened. As the cost of science goes up, there is a growing gap between what the Center needs and what it takes in, Means said.

As a result, the Development Office's annual fund-raising goal is jumping from $25 million to $40 million a year. (By comparison, the annual goal was $4 million just 12 years ago, a figure that would barely keep the lights on today.) This money will go toward recruitment, pilot projects, shared resources, fellowships, and salary support — all critical things that the Center can't live without, so not raising the money is not an option.

"The time, energy and resources devoted to the branding effort are an investment in our ability to raise more money from private donors — money that has become much more important to funding new research."

To achieve the higher financial goals, the Hutchinson Center must expand its reach beyond the Pacific Northwest and identify prospective donors at a national level, Means said. The Center has strong name recognition and a history of philanthropic support here at home, but nationally it must compete with other cancer centers and the thousands of other organizations and nonprofits that are vying for attention from major financial donors.

"We're well-known in scientific circles worldwide, but we need to build that recognition with donors, as well," Means said. "For a brand and marketing plan to work well, it's best to authentically reflect who you are — and what we're about is cutting-edge science."

"The first step in building national awareness is to develop an appropriate marketing plan," said Linda Gainer, vice president of External Affairs and Communications. Gainer lead the effort with a committee comprised of faculty, staff, board members and donors who worked intensively during the last year to create the Center's new marketing strategy and plan. The process started with an examination of the Center's market strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The committee also surveyed local and national perceptions of the Hutchinson Center.

"The key messages of the strategy were tested and confirmed by market research. The research confirmed that prospective major donors understood and responded well to the Center's focus on science," Gainer said. "It also demonstrated the need to balance and connect the science messages with life-affirming messages."

"What the marketing research identified was that we have a unique environment here," said Rich Begert, a member of the Center's foundation board who served on the marketing committee. "It's clear that we're able to attract the brightest, most creative scientific minds in the world who have rallied around a common cause of finding a cure." He added that the new research initiatives are more focused than those at many other cancer centers, and "people like that we know who we are."

The Center's tagline — "Advancing Knowledge, Saving Lives" — and logo were revised to more fully support the marketing strategy. The new tagline captures the essence of the marketing plan's emphasis on scientific research and life: "A Life of Science."

"The new tagline bridges the old with the new," said Begert. "It still focuses on saving lives, but it's more provocative."

It also accurately reflects our emphasis on scientific research, and on the national philanthropic stage, success will come from building a broader awareness of what we do and why we're unique.

"The old tagline was nice and warm and familiar, but any research institution or university could have used that same one," said Means. "There was nothing about it that distinguished us from everyone else."

Other than replacing the tagline, the most notable change to the logo is the absence of the double helix icon, which had been in place since 1986. Market research indicated that over the years, the double helix has become commonplace, causing it to lose distinction in the context of the Center's logo. The marketing committee felt confident relying on the strength of Center's name alone. The new logo now emphasizes the words "Hutchinson Center," a design tactic to help give the name a clear shortcut. Referring to the Center in a consistent, shortened fashion will help keep the Hutchinson Center legacy front and center and avoid any potential confusion.

The old gray-and-maroon color palette has also been changed, replaced by colors that reflect the look and feel of nature and the Pacific Northwest. The primary color — which will appear on new letterhead and business cards — is a medium blue.

Gradual rollout

The rollout of the new look will take place gradually and is designed to be as transparent as possible both within the Center and to the general public. Because the main thrust of the marketing plan is to support fund raising, the Development Department will be the first to incorporate the new logo and colors into its brochures and other marketing materials. The redesigned Web site will appear around the end of June.

New letterhead and business cards will be available July 1, but all employees are encouraged to use supplies of old letterhead and business cards before ordering new ones. In addition, signage around the Center will stay the same, since replacing it is not cost effective.

Even though some things may look different, Means said, the Center is working carefully to minimize the impact internally.

"Our goal was to do a better job of telling our story to the people who want to invest in us, and the best story we have to tell is the work that the scientists are doing. Linda Gainer, her staff, and our consultant, Edelman, are to be congratulated in their successful accomplishment of this goal, despite the challenges of working through the process. We've learned that when you are working on logos, taglines and stationary, there is no shortage of opinion."

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Marketing plan brown-bag sessions

There will be five brown-bag sessions on the Center's marketing plan, during which you may ask questions.

• May 20, 12-1 p.m., Pelton
• May 24, 12-1 p.m., M1-A303/A305
• May 25, 3-4 p.m., Sze
• May 26, 12-1 p.m., Sze
• June 2, 12-1 p.m., B1-072/074

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Center marketing strategy: Answers to help you put the new plan into action

Q: Why are we making these changes?
A: The new marketing plan is aimed at increasing the Center's annual fund raising 60 percent to $40 million. This money is needed to fill the gap between rising costs of new research initiatives and the flattened level of federal grants.

Q: Who made these decisions?
A: A marketing committee of board members, faculty and staff drove the project. It was approved by the board of trustees and the Director's Office.

Q: What should I do with old letterhead, business cards, etc.?
A: Faculty and staff should use old supplies before ordering new ones to eliminate waste and unnecessary expense. As your supplies of old envelopes and letterhead draw down, departments can share their remaining supplies so that old letterhead is used with matching old envelopes.

Q: How do I personalize my letterhead so it fits with the new logo style?
A: A template will be made available on the Web site so faculty members and department heads can print personalized letterhead on their laser printers.

Q: What will happen to all the old logos seen around campus?
A: In an effort to minimize cost, building signage will not be changed. Other signage will be evaluated and will only be changed if it is deemed critical to the Hutchinson Center's fund-raising efforts.

Q: How do I get the new logo?
A: Soon, you will be able to download it off the Center's Web site. In the meantime, contact Gordon Todd in External Affairs and Communications at gtodd@fhcrc.org or (206) 667-6048.

Q: If I have other questions, whom should I contact?
A: Contact Linda Gainer, vice president of External Affairs and Communications, at lgainer@fhcrc.org or (206) 667-2856 or Kit Herrod in External Affairs and Communications at (206) 667-5543 or kherrod@fhcrc.org.

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