CHALLENGE |
Envision Idaho's largest state agency, with 2,900 employees in seven regions spread out across the state, responsible for overseeing 55 public programs and services, and commanding a substantial portion of the state's budget. Not only does the organization need to manage its communications endeavors at every level internally and externally, it needs to strategically guide its reputation and brand identity.

SOLUTION |
Conduct a communications audit, develop a strategic communications plan to guide all internal and external efforts, and create a branding program for the Department. To begin the process Vanguard conducted diagnostic research to determine the core issues at hand. This included an internal employee e-mail survey, 80 one-on-one interviews and a statewide public opinion survey. Vanguard employed a branding and planning process that introduced upper management to our efforts and that kept them engaged at every stage of the process so that they felt ownership in it, understood it and ultimately bought into it. Our efforts included internal and external focus group sessions, the formation of an executive management team to give input to the process, elements to align this effort with other Department planning documents, strategies for moving the strategic communications plan and branding program into action, and a rollout plan.

RESULTS |
Results of the strategic communications plan and branding program heightened the Department's overall awareness about the need to strategically communicate, to help align various planning documents in one concentrated effort and to better position the Department to achieve its vision and mission. In particular, communications has become a primary initiative of the Department and its director; the Department has begun putting in place mechanisms for Department-wide internal communications; the Department has aligned common interests with other similar organizations; a member of the communications team meets with program managers to manage the Department's brand; and Department programs are now using the branding strategy on all outside materials.