New Brand for a New World

Then and Now, a Brand for the Future

In the year 1952, the Lily was officially incorporated into the Easterseals brand as a symbol of spring, signifying resurrection and new life. To be a person with a disability at this time proved to be challenging as services were limited and national perception was unfavorable and discriminatory. This was before the establishment of the Civil Rights Act, the National Council on Disability, or the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Keeping true to our message of rebirth, we operated as both public policy advocates and service providers. Working with our partners, we did our part to usher the country into a new age of equality for people with disabilities.

Thanks to a national effort led by millions of Americans, times have changed for the better. Our nation has never been more accessible. Though things are still far from equal, the dark sky has opened and the rays of hope are shining down on a brighter future. With progress, however, comes change. The challenges facing the disability community have shifted, become more complex, and have grown to include invisible, emotional, social, and educational challenges. This is why Easterseals is embarking on a brand renaissance, reintroducing ourselves to the public in a way that reflects this new way of thinking about disability. We started by creating a new logo and tagline:

It’s bright, modern, and reaffirms our commitment to remaining a vital resource for people with disabilities, veterans, caregivers, and families. First, surrounding the “e” you’ll see the burst of sunshine that represents the “rays of hope” we mentioned earlier. These serve as a reminder that the work we do at Easterseals is infused with a sense of optimism as we bring support, hope, and joy into people’s lives. However, none of this would be possible without the support of a diverse community of volunteers, families and caregivers. This brings us to our new tagline. Let’s break it down and take a look at what it means when we say “taking on disability together.”

“Taking on”

It’s all about owning and actively facing challenges, day in and day out.

“Disability”

The cause we rally around to share our expertise, leadership, and support.

“Together”

Collaborating with our community to work alongside those we serve.

Though we are excited about our new look and dynamic messaging, we want to remind the public that, backed by more than sixty-five years of experience, Easterseals New Jersey will continue to offer its same top quality services all throughout the state. We aim to provide safe, accessible, convenient and individualized support with warmth, respect, and expertise; providing opportunities for individuals to reach their goals and experience life’s moments.

#lifesmoments

In our next post, we’ll share with you our latest public awareness campaign that features the accomplishments made by our program participants. You’ll see how their hard work has paid off and allowed them to experience life’s critical milestones. After, we’ll talk about how you can get involved and help raise awareness for people with disabilities here in New Jersey and beyond! (though, if you want to cheat and look ahead, go to http://www.eastersealsnj.org/lifesmoments/ it’ll be our little secret)