The most common question I usually get in heading up NABS is -
'I guess you're a lot busier these days?' The short answer is yes -
2009 was our busiest ever in terms of helping industry friends and
their families - through our confidential counselling and
short-term financial assistance programs.
The real answer is a different story. Yes we're helping a larger
group of people - but if you assumed it was a particular type of
person - you would only have part of the answer. The demographic of
a NABS 'client' is much different than it was 10 years ago and how
we are providing service has also changed.
Since NABS launched in 1984, our mandate has been to assist
communications professionals with personal, family, career and
financial challenges - usually in a crisis situation. About five
years ago the volunteer Board of NABS, made up of industry leaders
from all industry sectors, decided that there was an additional
role that NABS could play in providing 'Proactive, Positive and
Preventative' services to people of all ages in the advertising,
media and communications sector. At that time NABS adopted a new
branding look and tag line - 'SUPPORT, DEVELOP, CONNECT'. Since
then we have been actively promoting this message - that all our
services and fundraising programs fall under one of these 3 key
pillars.
The results? The number of people using our services has grown
consistently since 2004, and in 2009 reached a record - when NABS
assisted more than 350 colleagues and many more family members. The
average age of someone using our services is now in the mid 40's
(compared to early 50's back in the 1990's). We have also seen an
increasing number of younger professionals under 35 turning to NABS
for assistance through our 24-hour toll-free Helpline
(888-355-5548); our H.R. oriented group Workshops are growing in
popularity; and our 4 Ambassador committees, (Vancouver, Calgary,
Toronto and Montreal), targeting the 25-35 age demo are gaining
wider support through their entertaining social and professional
development events.
The challenge for any charitable organization is telling its story
and making itself heard. In our often frantic world of advertising
and media, ensuring NABS is not only known, but more importantly
understood is a daily challenge. And that's why we enlisted one of
the best partners in the communications industry to help us tell
our 'brand story' - TOTEM - www.totembrandstories.com
In May 2010, NABS launched a new version of our home site - www.nabs.org. Totem has been
working with NABS since 2009 as our new national 'Content Agency of
Record' to provide turnkey strategic, content and social media
solutions. This plan includes the creation of a new website,
enhanced database management capabilities and creating more
efficient ways to link to everyone working in the Canadian
communications industry. Totem's business strength is helping their
clients tell their 'Brand Stories'. Totem itself has recently
re-branded - and CEO Eric Schneider explained how Totem approaches
their client's business objectives, 'What matters in today's
multi-channel world is how a story is received, consumed and made
viral'.
I'd like to thank the Totem team who have helped us start to tell
the NABS brand story in a different way - this is the first blog
that we have ever produced! I invite you to check out the wide
variety of services available and our many events and outreach
programs available nationally - and through our regional chapters
in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal. And since we
are now communicating through many different channels - check out
our social media links or, sign up for our new bi-monthly e-letter
on our website.