The NAACP’s brand is simple and to the
point - it is a civil rights organization. As the NAACP celebrated its 100-year
anniversary last week, it seemed like mission accomplished as Pres. Obama, the
first black president, served as keynote for the celebration. As I listened to Pres. Obama, I
wondered how tough it was for a civil rights organization to communicate its
value proposition to a younger generation that doesn't see the same civil
rights struggles.
Quick history… the NAACP was at its
height in the 50s and 60s after the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Brown v.
Board of Education case
desegregated schools. That's when
the NAACP’s value was apparent – the issues they sought to resolve were evident
and their impact was tangible.
Recently, the NAACP has expanded its mission to include social
inequities ranging from racial profiling to the genocide in Darfur. So, back to the value prop discussion –
I think the challenge for the NAACP moving forward is ensuring their brand
still delivers value. Quite honestly,
nowadays most people don't know when the NAACP has done a good job or is doing
its job… how do we measure the NAACP's impact? What metrics are relevant?
NAACP needs to give Reason to their
relevance:
- Partner with BET or TV One. Fulfill an unmet need in the black community by creating a quality news program from an African-American point of view. Brand it NAACP News and update us on issues of importance to the black community and show us how you're helping to solve those issues – proceed to Step 2.
- Angel Investors. Become angel investors to both nonprofit and for profit ventures in local communities. Leverage your political clout to secure funds and disperse those funds in the community. Then show us how you’re helping to solve our community’s issues (see Step 1) – Use metrics to tell us how you've helped local nonprofits find x mentors in different cities; how you've looked after x amount of children by investing in after-school programs; and how you've generated x number of jobs in the community by investing in minority-owned businesses.
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