Brand Architecture

Building a Brand Architecture for Akin

Akin is a nonprofit healthcare provider committed to supporting families. 

Following a recent merger, it became the largest family services nonprofit in Washington state — positioned for greater impact, but also facing a critical inflection point.

Mergers are pivotal moments in an organization’s evolution, impacting mission clarity, staff morale, and customer loyalty.

I partnered with the executive team in overcoming complexity and making the most of the organization's new scale to support its communities.

To foster brand integration, I began with an assessment of more than 40 programs. 

I also determined that an enterprise-wide brand architecture would be beneficial in aligning Akin's teams and guiding its long-term growth. 

To develop it, I partnered with the CMO to evaluate potential organizing frameworks — starting with established models (by stage, segment, function, etc.) before progressing toward custom approaches tailored to Akin’s mission and purpose.

I built the brand architecture to align with Akin's refined purpose and vision. It connects core and future programs with strategic objectives, creating clarity for internal teams and external partners.

I also built a strategic framework to identify the programs that warranted elevation to sub-brand — with marketing support and increased visibility.

Additionally, I developed an approach for program naming to support the organization in building brand equity. 

Finally, I built a decision tree to aid Akin's advisory function with governance.