Date published 20 Aug 2020 As awareness of brand-building continues to grow in the competitive not-for-profit sector, the charity for girls’ equality has been getting on the front foot with the help of Metrix Consulting. Thanks to a brand-tracking proposal made affordable by a pro bono contribution, Plan International Australia is able to measure its brand health on an ongoing basis. The research provides the insights the charity needs to present a strong, cohesive message in the competitive not-for-profit space, aligning its branding across both paid media and earned media, for both its fundraising and advocacy work. “That’s what’s really going to help us cut through with a small budget in our market. The brand tracking has really shown us the value in that,” says Charlotte Strong, Brand and Strategic Communications Manager for Plan International Australia. “The pro bono support from Metrix has made all the difference, enabling us to carry out three, not just two, waves of tracking a year. As a result we are building a more holistic picture of our brand and where it sits in the market." “The extra wave also gives us more accuracy and a greater level of confidence in the overall result,” Charlotte says. Like many in the not-for-profit sector, Plan International Australia has become more invested in brand-building in recent years. “In some ways, the sector is catching up to where commercial businesses have been for some time now, recognising the value in building a brand,” Charlotte says. A global, independent development and humanitarian organisation, Plan International undertook a worldwide brand refresh a few years ago. The Australian division of the not-for-profit engaged Metrix in 2019 after a tender process. “Metrix really understood our challenge as a not-for-profit and where we were in our brand-building journey,” Charlotte says. “The pro bono contribution made those additional waves of tracking affordable for us. We have a real commitment to our mission and spending every dollar as wisely as possible for the greatest impact. “Marquis and his team have not just done the research and provided the reports, but they’ve also made themselves available to us to discuss what the insights might mean for our marketing decisions.” Metrix Founder and Managing Director, Marquis Pohla, says it was only natural that his team of research experts wanted to make sure they could stretch the not-for-profit’s budget as far as possible. “It’s an honour to work with Plan International Australia, who came to us with a limited budget but a clear mandate for global change,” Marquis says. “We’re proud to say our research is giving the not-for-profit a better understanding of its market position within the Australian charity landscape, helping it to make informed and effective decisions.” Using its research findings, Metrix has developed a program to help Plan International monitor its core KPIs. The tracking includes an annual brand and communications deep dive. Helen Kerr, Account Manager at Metrix, says the brand tracking program is designed to promote agility and action, with timely, actionable and easy-to-understand insights. Back To News & Views