The People of Action campaign brings the Rotary brand to life by highlighting what happens when community leaders within Rotary join together, share their vision, exchange ideas about solutions, and then take action to make it a reality.
Who are we trying to reach?
This campaign is for people who do not know about Rotary or why it’s relevant to them. We hope the campaign will appeal to potential members who want to make a difference in their communities, those interested in Rotary’s causes, and people looking to establish relationships with others in their communities.
This campaign is for people who do not know about Rotary or why it’s relevant to them. We hope the campaign will appeal to potential members who want to make a difference in their communities, those interested in Rotary’s causes, and people looking to establish relationships with others in their communities.
Why is the campaign’s theme “People of Action”?
Rotarians share a unique passion for taking action to improve their communities and the world. Where others see problems, we see solutions. This is our chance to show others how Rotarians see what’s possible in their communities and to highlight what we can achieve when more community leaders join Rotary.
What materials are available?
At the Rotary Brand Center, you’ll find videos, social media graphics, and advertisements for print and digital. Campaign guidelines are also provided to help districts and clubs localize the assets.
Can clubs or districts modify campaign materials with pictures of their own projects?
Yes. Guidelines are provided at the Rotary Brand Center to help districts and clubs localize the campaign with photos of their own communities.
Is there guidance for taking photos for the ads?
Yes. The Rotary Brand Center has a checklist and information on how to capture photos that focus on connections and community.
What are some ways we can place the campaign locally?
Campaign placement tips are on the Rotary Brand Center. There are also other ways to use the materials – consider adding campaign graphics to club and district websites, posting them on social media, and displaying the ads at events.
What kind of support is provided to members who don’t know how to buy ads or secure donated space?
RI provides guidelines on how to develop media plans, buy ads, and secure donated ad space at the Rotary Brand Center. In addition, the RI marketing communications team will host a series of webinars to help club and district leaders with media planning.
Public Image vs Public Relations vs Marketing
Many persons may have been dismayed by the change from clubs, districts and zones having Public Image Chairs and teams instead of Public Relations Chairs and teams. While this organizational switch advocated by Rotary International was met with much question, frustration and doubt by many, it was for the most part accepted. And, just like the changes over the years to clubs logos, attendance requirements, reporting, etc., one may question the change, but, for the most part, you accept and go along with it.
As some time has passed since these changes have been introduced, we can perhaps now see things with a clearer mind and not a closed one and recognize that these have been positive changes for Rotary.
If we are not all use the same guidelines and talking from the same position, then we are not a collective group of members of the one organization; but, 35,000+ different clubs or 1.2+ million different groups doing our own thing on our own. The strength of Rotary is being one collective doing many things with the combined force of all our membership including those in Rotary, Rotaract and Interact clubs.
To be one collective, we must be able to be recognized as one - the Rotary Logo/Brand and the People of Action campaign allows for such recognition. Whether you like it or not, this is what identifies us as one organization and one brand.
So where does the change in terminology and the application of these changes stem from and how do they practically apply to clubs?
Public Image is about ensuring that we use correct Branding and the People of Action materials to better derive and harness the power of our collective to promote our endeavors as a club or a district.
Public Relations is taking that Public Image and establishing a relationship between the organization (e.g. a club, a district or a program) and the public. While the public may sometimes be our very own members, to ensure the longevity of our organization, we must look past our members and to a wider audience. This is the art of Public Relations. Using our collective organization's image and story and add our own symbiotic story to create and build a relationship with others and where people connect to us positively.
Marketing is the art, business and means of promoting and selling our services as an organization taking action to help others under the banner of Service Above Self.
Therefore, take action in your own club and market what you do and what the wider world of Rotary does. Establish your relationships with the public and promote the correct brand of Rotary as a groups of individuals operating as a collective.
For more details on how to promote your club as People of Action visit the Rotary Learning Centre and take a look at the Promoting Your Club as People of Action course