Siegel+Gale Uses Its Long-Standing Belief in the Power of
Simplicity to Help Solve the World's Most Pressing Social Problems
NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Global
strategic branding firm Siegel+Gale (www.siegelgale.com) today
announced it has delivered branding and customer experience
consulting for two social entrepreneurs selected for the company's
inaugural Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.
Siegel+Gale launched the initiative to help promising social
entrepreneurs boost their businesses' impact—which leverage the
power of simplicity to address the world's most complex social
issues—and extend the appeal of what they offer to a wider audience
of consumers and stakeholders. Siegel+Gale helped develop clear,
fresh and engaging communications and brand experiences for the
entrepreneurs and their businesses.
(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120123/NY39544LOGO)
In partnership with the Unreasonable Institute, Siegel+Gale
selected Mouhsine Serrar, the
founder of Prakti Design, and Michael
Wilkerson, the founder of Tugende (previously named Own Your
Own Boda). Prakti markets innovative and affordable cookstoves in
India, Nepal and Haiti, while Tugende helps motorcycle taxi
(boda boda) drivers in Uganda so
that they can own rather than rent their taxis to accelerate out of
poverty. The Unreasonable Institute identifies and attracts
talented social entrepreneurs from around the world and invites the
25 most promising individuals to a six-week training program that
provides the mentorship, capital and network to arm them with the
tools needed to tackle the world's biggest problems.
Both entrepreneurs were given $10,000 in seed funding, and two dedicated
Siegel+Gale teams provided brand development consulting over a
series of months. This included building a strategic platform,
developing a brand voice and creating a name, visual identity and
messaging strategy.
"Helping these talented social entrepreneurs bring their stories
to life fulfills the passions of our employees to address complex
social problems around the world," said Howard Belk, co-CEO of Siegel+Gale.
Siegel+Gale worked with Prakti's Mouhsine Serrar to develop a strategic brand
platform to differentiate it from its competitors. They helped to
position Prakti as a brand that creates clean and elegant
cookstoves that uplift women and their communities in the world's
poorest countries. Prakti is unique because it is deeply ingrained
in the local communities it serves and leverages local culture to
build the brand. Siegel+Gale also clarified Prakti's messaging
strategy for prospective consumers and prospective investors,
created a new visual identity and logo, and the tagline "Smart
Stoves for Smart Cooks." Siegel+Gale's team included Rachel Bauer, Ling
Liu, Liz Castleman,
Holly Fabbri, Yekaterina Vodevodkin,
Julie Polk, Pia Jensen and Mike
Tyson.
Mouhsine Serrar, founder of
Prakti, said, "It is rare for an early stage social enterprise to
have the benefit of a tier-one firm guiding the development of its
brand and communication. The Siegel+Gale team was wonderfully
creative, thorough and dedicated. Prakti is now on a highly
elevated path to achieve its business objectives and social
impact."
Siegel+Gale worked with Tugende founder Michael Wilkerson to build a strategic brand
platform that was coherent and focused, and to develop a brand
voice and messaging strategy that clarified Tugende's mission—to
give Ugandan boda boda drivers the means to their own employment
and kick-start their path to financial independence. Siegel+Gale
gave Tugende a new name, which means "Let's Go" in the local
Swahili dialect. They also created a new logo, whose design gives a
nod to the heritage of Uganda, and
the tagline "Drive to Own." Siegel+Gale's team included
Nick Miller, Andrew Olsen, Holly
Fabbri, Ben Weaver,
Andrew Eisenman, Pia Jensen and James
Allen.
"Working with Siegel+Gale was an eye-opening experience. Not
only did the team help us think through how to connect our brand to
the value we want to provide to our clients, they also helped us
think about how to make the Tugende brand valuable in and of
itself," said Tugende founder Michael
Wilkerson. "All of the team members we worked with were
experienced and passionate, and I am certain our core mission of
creating opportunity through ownership has been improved and
accelerated thanks to Siegel+Gale's generous assistance."
"Though Siegel+Gale has always been committed to philanthropy,
we are particularly excited about the CSR program as an extension
of our long-standing belief in the power of simplicity to make a
difference in the world," said David B.
Srere, co-CEO of Siegel+Gale. "We are extremely proud to
have helped such promising social entrepreneurs bring their brands
and stories to life."
About Siegel+Gale
Siegel+Gale (www.siegelgale.com) is a global strategic branding
firm committed to building world-class brands through elegantly
simple, unexpectedly fresh strategies, stories and experiences.
With Simple is Smart as its operating philosophy, Siegel+Gale
delivers powerful services in brand development, simplification,
research and digital strategy.
Since its founding by branding pioneer Alan Siegel in 1969, Siegel+Gale has helped
drive business results for leading corporations, nonprofits and
government organizations worldwide. Siegel+Gale has offices in
New York, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, London,
Hamburg, Riyadh, Dubai, Shanghai and Beijing and strategic partnerships around the
world. Siegel+Gale is a part of Diversified Agency Services, a
division of Omnicom Group Inc.
About Diversified Agency Services
Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group
Inc. (NYSE:OMC), manages Omnicom's holdings in a variety of
marketing communications disciplines. DAS includes over 200
companies, which operate through a combination of networks and
regional organizations, serving international and local clients
through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.
About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. is a leading global marketing and corporate
communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous
specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and
buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional
marketing, public relations and other specialty communications
services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
Contacts:
Jessica Abell
Siegel+Gale
212.453.0580
Abby Trexler
CooperKatz for Siegel+Gale
917.595.3042
SOURCE Siegel+Gale