As I explored briefly in last week's post, AmeriCorps's branded "personality" fulfills the requisite tenets that Bhargava outlined in our reading; uniqueness, authenticity, and talkability.
Uniqueness
AmeriCorps is unique in that it is the only domestic national service program funded by the federal government. The service opportunities provided by AmeriCorps are also unique in that, unlike many traditional volunteer opportunities, it is more of a hybrid between community service and a job in a professional workplace. Volunteers commit to a contractual amount of time and are compensated modestly for their time and efforts and are provided with training and skills that could lead directly to a position in a government agency or nonprofit organization.
Authenticity
AmeriCorps does not place volunteers just anywhere - potential AmeriCorps programs submit concept papers that reflect community needs informed by the community themselves. Based on that need, volunteers are allotted to communities and projects receive supportive funds and administrative assistance. Programs confer regularly with a Community Advisory Board, comprised of the people receiving services, that informs and guides program structure. Communities and volunteers work together to better serve the community. They do not leave anyone without a voice.
Talkability
It is my perception that most people hear about AmeriCorps through word of mouth and service stories. They either know someone who served, have served themselves, or have received services from an AmeriCorps member or program. Many hear about AmeriCorps through local news stories covering a project's impact in their community. The brand is very relatable, the stories are powerful and meaningful, and this creates a discourse surrounding service that promotes inclusivity and positive outcomes.
Last week, we learned in class that brand equity is determined by how the brand is meaningful, different, and salient.
Meaningful
AmeriCorps is meaningful because of the impact it has on communities. Often referred to as "moments of impact," it is a way for service members and communities to reflect on what sustainable mark the program has left on the community. AmeriCorps programs are specifically engineered to have sustainable, lasting, and meaningful impacts on the communities they serve. They also provide services that are lacking in a community and would otherwise not be available without the help of AmeriCorps members.
Different
AmeriCorps is different in that it is a structured service opportunity. Many members who participate in AmeriCorps are fresh out of high school or college and are looking for opportunities to shape their future career paths. AmeriCorps provides loan forbearance and interest repayment for qualified loans, modest stipends, education awards, and other unique opportunities and benefits that other service programs do not. AmeriCorps members walk away with new skills that prepare them for the workforce or to return to school.
Salient
The AmeriCorps brand is salient due to the eponymous "A" that represents their brand and is included in mostly all marketing efforts both at the federal level and within individual programs ephemera (t-shirts, buttons, water bottles, etc.) The "A" has come to represent the program and is a way to recognize an AmeriCorps member anywhere. Some programs require members to wear a uniform that prominently features the AmeriCorps "A," usually as a patch on a sleeve or the chest.
Image Source: nationalservice.gov
I would say that, overall, AmeriCorps's personality is very real and relatable to all demographics of people in the U.S. Their impact leaves positive and lasting effects on communities throughout the country. They provide services where they are needed and work together with communities to "get things done," as is noted in the "AmeriCorps Pledge" every service member recites upon swearing in to their term of service. Their personality is most certainly informed by and reflective of their mission and goals. The program is mutually beneficial in providing service to communities and to the members. We learned in class that a brand's "value proposition is based on the product being offered, its key features, the demographic it effects, and its key benefits to that demographic. I believe that AmeriCorps's value proposition would be as follows: AmeriCorps offers volunteers of all backgrounds unique service opportunities that provide them with new skills and life changing experiences that can open doors to new professional and educational opportunities following service.
No comments:
Post a Comment