VFW Post-Level Branding: Visual and Name

By Charles M. Pickett
While there are a number of concurrent goals and tasks in forming a new VFW post (or any nonprofit), one early, and perhaps easy task is to consider brand management.

The national VFW has a very recognizable brand identity (Cross of Malta). Moreover, they have made EPS and JPEG versions of their brand mark available to the membership. However, the branding can’t be used on for-sale items and any commercial use must be approved. Additionally, and reasonably, the “logo” must not be deconstructed into component parts. The VFW may have one, but I couldn’t find a brand identity manual, a detailed PDF booklet that dictates the proper use of a logo and establishes visual identity (such as colors). Blue Cross/Blue Shield has a great example online that discusses CMYK and PANTONE values.

The logo is a raster image and it looks like a photo of the cross of malta. I wonder if it is hanging in the lobby at national or if there is an interesting history behind the actual artifact photographed.

For a post, perhaps the biggest question may be what is the name of the post? For a forming post, that question is even murkier as post numbers are not assigned until after the post charter application is approved.

For example, VFW New Haven is still forming. It has no charter and, if you think about it, it is pretentious to call it VFW New Haven before it is an actual post. But if you want to secure domain names, social media names, and email addresses, this has to be done at the front of the process.

VFWNewHaven, thankfully was widely available, so the naming convention and branding was consistent (Facebook.com/VFWNewHaven; vfwnewhaven@gmail.com; Twitter.com/VFWNewHaven; www.vfwnewhaven.org). This name was put on the letterhead, on press releases, on social media, business cards, used for the bank account, for the post office box, etc.

Now, someday the post will have a number and may be named after a local deceased veteran. However, VFW New Haven says it all (organization, location).

LIST OF MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS IN AMERICA

  • Military Organizations from Vet Tix
  •  Air Force Association
  •  Air Force Sergeant’s Association
  •  American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
  •  American Legion
  •  American Merchant Marine Veterans
  •  American Military Retirees Association
  •  AMVETS
  •  Association of the U.S. Army
  •  Association of the United States Navy
  •  Association of the Vietnam Veterans of America
  •  Blue Star Families
  •  Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc.
  •  Cold War Veterans Association
  •  Congressional Medal of Honor Society of the USA
  •  Disabled American Veterans
  •  Elizabeth Dole Foundation
  •  Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States
  •  Fleet Reserve Association
  •  Folds of Honor
  •  Gary Sinise Foundation
  •  Gold Star Wives of America, Inc.
  •  Got Your 6
  •  Hispanic War Veterans of America
  •  Institute for Veterans and Military Families
  •  Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America
  •  Jewish War Veterans of the USA
  •  Korea Veterans of America
  •  Korean War Veterans Association, Inc.
  •  Marine Corps Association and Foundation
  •  Marine Corps League
  •  Marine Corps Reserve Association
  •  Military Officers Association of America
  •  Military Order of the Purple Heart of the U.S.A., Inc.
  •  Military Veterans Caregiver Network
  •  National Guard Association of the United States
  •  National Military Family Association
  •  National Organization of Veteran-Serving Organizations
  •  Naval Enlisted Reserve Association
  •  Navy League of the United States
  •  Non Commissioned Officers Association
  •  Operation Homefront
  •  Paralyzed Veterans of America
  •  Rally Point
  •  Reserve Officers Association of the United States
  •  Service Women’s Action Network
  •  Student Veterans of America
  •  Team Red, white and Blue
  •  Team Rubicon
  •  Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Inc.
  •  United Services Organization (USO)
  •  United States Army Warrant Officers Association
  •  United Through Reading
  •  USCG Chief Petty Officer Association
  •  Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
  •  Vets4Warriors
  •  Vietnam Veterans of America
  •  Women’s Veterans of America
  •  Wounded Warrior Project

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