CHECK OUT THE REDESIGNED LOGO, WEBSITE & BLOG
Back in January, we debuted a new participation model in an effort to expand engagement and involvement. As a part of our overall organizational revitalization plan, we’ve also completed a rebranding initiative by redesigning not only our logo but also the website and blog to deliver easier navigation, overall better user experience and more robust content.
The icon has moved away from a graphic symbol to a logotype QC, where the Q signifies quality and the C represents the circle of continuous improvement. A navy blue color palette was chosen to instill confidence and trust along with feelings of loyalty, integrity and responsibility. The green accent color was chosen to symbolize growth—not only for the increased importance of brand safety and responsible sourcing to end buyers but also for the evolution of our organization in helping the promotional products industry meet these buyers’ demands.
The major win for this design is not only its versatility in co-branding with supplier partners and distributor advocates, but it also opens up the possibility of client co-brands in the future. It has a clean, modern look that appropriately delivers the QCA message, yet it is simple and subtle enough to not compete with end-user brands.
These kinds of partnerships are important, as users of custom-branded merchandise can now work alongside industry distributors and suppliers to advocate for brand safety through the responsible sourcing of promotional products. With this level of collaboration, a new website was needed—one that is easy to navigate, contains relevant content and is visually appealing.
While the aesthetics are noticeably improved, some of the most important parts of the site can’t actually be seen. Behind the scenes, the site employs technology far more powerful than what was available before.
What’s great is that the site is part of a new association management system that allows us to run a more efficient organization and communicate better with our participants. It includes expanded capabilities for sharing information with participants as well as the ability to process online applications and payments—plus a host of other enhancements that will be phased in over time.
The blog has also been revitalized under the moniker Brand Safety Clinic. Healthy brand reputations are built upon a foundation of awareness and responsible sourcing, but since QCA’s inception more than a decade ago, the majority of content published in our industry has focused on product safety, especially when it comes to federal requirements. While safe, high-quality products and legal compliance are important, there’s much more to brand safety, including social responsibility, environmental stewardship and supply chain security.
The objective with our content development plan is to help industry practitioners and end buyers understand the issues in the continually evolving compliance environment. Creating true brand safety goes beyond informing compliance officers; it’s also educating marketers, salespeople, PR pros, procurement officers and CEOs. This wider audience requires a new approach to not only how we talk about brand safety and the effect it can have on organizations but also the importance of building compliance solutions into overall business plans.
By providing the education and training our entire supply chain needs, we are helping companies address any issues that could impact a person’s safety or damage a brand’s reputation. The overall goal of the website and blog is to be an indispensable resource; one that not only has educational resources that cannot be found anywhere else but also helps end buyers find Distributor Advocates who understand the issues of brand safety and responsible sourcing as well as distributors find Accredited Suppliers to meet these buyer demands.
To get started, use the top navigation bar to take you on a tour of all we have to offer. Take a look around and let us know what you think!
About the author: Since 1998, Lisa Horn, CAS, (a.k.a. The Publicity Gal) has been reporting on the issues that matter most to the promotional products industry. As QCA’s editorial director, she writes about brand safety and responsible sourcing. Connect with her on Instagram and Twitter @thepublicitygal.
