Rebranding cost a genU-ine mystery
GEELONG charity Karingal St Laurence has refused to reveal the cost of its rebranding to genU.
The major rebrand was launched in front of about 500 people at The Pier on Tuesday night, with the new logo for the adult disability service and aged care provider now incorporating a smiley face.
The rebranding has also included the production of a short YouTube film and mascot, and advertising on the side of a bus.
The YouTube video promoting the genU rebranding claims the change has been “60 years in the making”.
The charity, which has more than 2000 staff and a $100 million annual budget, has changed name twice in just over 12 months following the merger of Karingal and St Laurence in August last year.
Torquay graphic designer Fluid was engaged to work on the latest rebrand to genU, but it is unknown how much the firm was paid.
Early yesterday genU agreed to answer questions from the Geelong Advertiser about the financial cost of the rebranding exercise but later reneged.
The charity was also asked who made the decision to rebrand to genU, who or what would shoulder the cost and how extensively the new name was considered or debated before a final decision was made.
Addy readers yesterday slammed the name change on social media.
Reader Bryan Boyle said he was unsure how it would im- prove the service providing care to adults with a disability and the aged.
“(They’ve) been a great organisation over a lot of years, is a name change going to improve anything?” Mr Boyle wrote.
Beth Davidson said the change was “one of the silliest ideas I’ve heard in a long while”.
And Bronwyn Turner was unsure how the cost of rebranding would be recouped by genU.
“A very costly thing to do. Who pays? I hope not through clients’ fees,” Ms Turner said.
GenU chief executive Mike McKinstry this week said the rebrand to genU was about responding to a new generation of people.
“The idea behind our new branding is that genU is for everyone, no matter which generation you belong to,” Mr McKinstry said.
“We have an opportunity to broaden our imprint and help disadvantaged people right across Australia.”
Karingal started in Geelong in 1952 and is one of the largest employers in the region.