How NASW Refreshed a Legacy Brand for a New Generation of Social Workers
Recognition, credibility, and influence had been established for decades. But the audience’s expectations continued to evolve, especially among younger members and prospects. That was the situation the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) faced. As the leading voice for social workers across the country, NASW needed a brand refresh that could honor its legacy while clearly communicating its relevance to the next generation.
Russell Herder partnered with NASW to lead a comprehensive brand evolution rooted in research, shaped by stakeholder insight, and designed to scale across a complex national organization with diverse audiences and chapters.
Why Association Branding Matters for Member Engagement
NASW exists to enhance professional growth and development, establish and maintain professional standards, and advance sound social policies. As the industry’s thought leader, its brand plays a critical role in reinforcing that position, both among social workers and the general public.
Positioning an organization of this size and legacy requires more than just a visual change. It demands a deep understanding of where the brand has been, where it stands, and where it needs to go.
Discovery: Building a Brand Value Proposition Through Research
In our discovery phase, we focused on developing a clear, compelling brand value proposition. This included an internal brand review and competitive audit, paired with extensive interviews across the organization.
Leadership, staff, chapter employees, current members, and former members all contributed their perspectives on NASW’s history, opportunities, and challenges. This process was essential, as a brand cannot meaningfully evolve without first understanding the people it serves and the systems it operates within. Discovery ensured that the refresh was grounded in authenticity rather than assumption.
Creative Development: Bringing the New NASW Brand to Life
With those insights in place, we moved into creative development, bringing the new NASW brand to life in a way that felt contemporary, inclusive, and authoritative. The work included creating a new, recognizable logo, a cohesive brand identity system, and comprehensive guidelines to support consistent day-to-day use. A striking anthem reel and new member recruitment videos were developed to clearly articulate NASW’s mission and values, helping the organization connect emotionally with both current members and prospects.
Brand Implementation: Rolling Out a National Association Identity
Just as important as the creative itself was the implementation plan. For national associations, a brand is only as strong as its ability to be adopted across chapters, teams, and channels. We created a detailed brand launch and implementation roadmap outlining how the new identity had to be rolled out strategically and sustainably. This included recommendations for collateral, advertising, digital platforms, social media, media relations, and chapter toolkits, along with guidance on timing and budget considerations.
Messaging was designed to resonate across a broad spectrum of audiences, from national and chapter leadership to students, social workers, community partners, policymakers, media, and funders.
Ongoing Partnership: Supporting Internal Marketing Teams
Following the rebrand, we continue to support NASW by supplementing its internal marketing team as needs arise. This ongoing partnership reflects the everyday reality for large organizations: internal teams benefit from external partners who deeply understand the brand and can provide strategic and creative support at scale.
The Takeaway: Legacy Brands Can Evolve Without Losing Their Identity
The NASW rebrand offers a clear takeaway: Longevity does not have to mean standing still. With rigorous research, thoughtful strategy, and disciplined creative execution, even the most established organizations can evolve their brands to engage new audiences while strengthening their leadership position.
