Two years ago, the National Ornamental and Miscellaneous Metals Association (NOMMA) was seeing a decline in membership and knew that the organization needed rejuvenating. With its 60th anniversary approaching, it was the perfect time for a rebrand.

Founded in 1958, NOMMA is a trade association for fabricators by fabricators. Members work in the ornamental, architectural, and miscellaneous metalworking industry. The previous logo had been in place for more than 20 years and was synonymous with traditional blacksmithing techniques related to ornamental work. With the rebranding, the organization wanted a logo that demonstrated NOMMA is more than traditional blacksmithing—it also involves architecture, sculpture, railings, gates, stairs, and more. Like the logo, the association’s website was outdated, too. It needed to be more accessible and user-friendly.

NOMMA’s  overarching goal was to create a “modern and fresh” logo and website that encompassed the entire metalworking industry rather than just one small segment.

With the help of the marketing company Fusion, the NOMMA Board of Directors determined that it wanted to highlight theorganization’s diversity and show the bond members share through metal. In the end, the logo chosen featured bold text, used a vibrant blue and black as the primary colors, and incorporated rivets that connect each letter to illustrate the bond between members.

The Makings of a Strategic Rollout

Once the logo was produced and approved, it was time to plan the rollout. Four months prior to the launch, Fusion developed a thorough communication plan, detailing how and when to roll out the logo and website. The full campaign lasted three months before the official launch date. Leading up to the official launch, a series of “teasers,” which conveyed the story behind the upcoming updates to members, were created. To simultaneously explain that NOMMA was getting a new look and changing its outlook, the slogan “New Look, New Outlook” was developed.

NOMMA wanted members to understand that, yes, it was rebranding and getting a new look, but that members will always have a bond that is unbreakable and strong.

NOMMA wanted members to understand that, yes, it was rebranding and getting a new look, but that members will always have a bond that is unbreakable and strong. The teasers consisted of three emails: a what’s coming, the story, and the official release. In addition, a “coming soon” print ad, an “official release” print ad, and three social media images were created. The first image went out a week before and said, “one more week,” followed by a “three more days,” and finally a “tomorrow.”

The tricky part was executing the actual logo reveal and determining what type of rollout would have the biggest impact. Ultimately, a quick 30-second video was created that was shared via email and social media. The video wasn’t over the top—it fit right in the budget and captured the attention of members.

A Targeted Effort

The rollout was targeted to both members and prospects. NOMMA was able to reach nonmembers by sending out the reveal video on social media and paying to target them. In addition, the 30-second logo reveal video was boosted via Facebook and Instagram to a new audience of nonmembers.

A separate winback campaign was also developed for previous members, which announced the changes NOMMA was making, as well as what came with its “New Outlook,” to assure them that it was not the same association as before.

Following the rebrand, members said they loved the logo and thought the website was easier to navigate and much more user-friendly. Website pageviews increased by 85 percent and social media impressions by 52 percent. Between June and December of 2018, new membership increased by 72 percent compared to that same timeframe in 2017.

Having a good story to tell, being transparent with members, and harnessing the power of social media to target nonmembers helped NOMMA accomplish a successful and effective rebranding campaign.