#BrandManagerMonth: Bronwyn Feldwick-Davis of Reach For A Dream

Image source: www.facebook.com/reachforadream

What does brand management mean to you?

What is important to me is the emotional connection your stakeholders have with your brand. How they perceive the brand and whether you have created a good relationship with them. A brand is not just a recognisable logo or a memorable advert. It is the heart of the organisation and the culture. Brand management is vital to creating a unique image and positioning of a brand so that the target audience can distinguish your brand from others and identify with it immediately. Brand management involves constant analysis and development of your brand so that you can ensure a lasting relationship with your target audience.

Could you explain your specific brand management strategy, and how it ties into Reach For A Dream's overall marketing communications?

Reach For A Dream is a unique brand as there is no other foundation with the same vision and mission to fulfil dreams and inspire hope in children fighting life-threatening illnesses. What is essential is to define our brand and educate the market as to what we stand for and what our brand values are. Sometimes there can be confusion as to what exactly Reach For A Dream does and for whom. There are many organisations in the child welfare sector, therefore it is important to differentiate the brand so that we stand out from the crowd. The next important aspect of our strategy is brand building and exposure. We endeavour to create exposure on as many platforms as possible, with social media playing a vital role in this regard. We use our campaigns such as Slipper Day and Dream Riders to create awareness of the work that we do and to attract attention to the dream fulfillment process and the impact that it has on a child.

What’s on your wish list for brand objectives for 2016?

We want to reach as many children who have a life-threatening illness as possible, so one of the main objectives for 2016 is to create brand awareness within the healthcare sector and with healthcare professionals. We are running two campaigns in this regard: our Direct To Doctors campaign and our Nurses Day event. We believe that no child who has been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness should miss out on the opportunity of having their dream fulfilled.

Are you using content as part of your marketing strategy for Reach For A Dream?

We rely heavily on content for our marketing strategy as it is feedback which we can give our donors and the stories help us to create awareness about the brand. The stories of the dreams, and the emotions that the children experience, are beautiful and capture the essence of a dream perfectly. Content is our biggest tool which we use to convey the message of the power of a dream and how it inspires hope.

What do you see currently as the main challenges and or opportunities for the child welfare sector?

The main challenge for any non-profit is always funding, and the current economic climate of the country means that fundraising is becoming increasingly difficult. We are constantly marketing our brand to raise funds so that we can continue with the work that we do. Fortunately, there are still many corporates that believe in supporting children’s charities and, even in tough times, the South African public, with their philosophy of ubuntu, will always respond to a call to action to help a child in need.

What do you love most about working on the Reach For A Dream brand?

Reach For A Dream is a very special place to work. It is an organisation that fulfils dreams for children who are fighting a daily battle. And what could be more beautiful than helping somebody realise their dream and to see the positive impact that it has on a child and family? Health is something that we very often take for granted. One also doesn’t realise the emotional and financial strain an illness can place on a family unit. I am grateful that I can spread a little bit of joy, even for a short while, and make a difference in somebody else’s life.

Tell us about a day in your work life.

The exciting thing about my day-to-day job is that it is continuously varied. There is always an exciting project or campaign on the horizon and we are blessed to work with many experienced and talented professionals who volunteer their time or pro bono services and assist us with our marketing and PR. My day could consist of an admin day in the office working on the logistics of a campaign, or it could be a photoshoot with one of our dreamers for our marketing material, or I could be out in the field helping to fulfil a dream or taking a group of children out of the hospital to experience one of our six projects.