Opinion BY Armin

BBYO Lights Up

First organized in 1924, BBYO — an acronym for B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, but not formally used anymore as the movement is no longer associated with the B’nai B’rith organization — is a “pluralistic teen movement aspiring to involve more Jewish teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences.” With more than 600 local chapters, and regional outposts throughout the U.S. and the world, BBYO has over 250,000 alumni who have participated in one of the many programs and events the organization offers from travel experiences to social outreach. This past September BBYO introduced a new identity designed by Washington D.C.-based Levine & Associates.

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Opinion BY Armin

A Crusade Against Long Names

Established in 1951 in the campus of UCLA as an “interdenominational Christian evangelism and discipleship organization” focused on college students, Campus Crusade for Christ has grown to include professionals, families, athletes, and high school students. With active ministries in more than 1,000 colleges in the U.S. and served by more than 25,000 full-time and part-time team members in 191 countries around the world, Campus Crusade for Christ is one of the largest organizations of its kind. This week they announced a name change, Cru, and new logo that will become officially adopted in early 2012. Although Cru states that even though “Our primary and ultimate dependence is on the Lord,” they “enlisted the help of consultants because we don’t have the expertise in brand survey methods and testing that they do.” Prophet and Brandtrust are credited together, with naming by Prophet.

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Opinion BY Armin

Type is in the Details

An aspect of identity design that goes unexplored to a certain degree is that for religious organizations, but as everyone becomes more brand aware these spaces and communities must communicate and attract with as much urgency as any major consumer brand or corporation. In this specific case being reviewed today, we are also veering a little off from the typical redesign in that there is no big logo change, rather it’s an identity overhaul through typography for International House of Prayer (IHOP – KC) in Kansas City. Established in 1999, IHOP – KC is a young adult Christian organization that combines 24/7 prayers for justice with 24/7 works of justice, with many outreach programs for different causes. Ten years later the organization has grown to include more than 50 different departments, and with growth and little control comes graphic havoc.

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