Background

Charities Aid Foundation Southern Africa (CAFSA) is searching for a reliable, deadline-driven, and innovative brand, design, and strategic marketing agency in order to oversee renaming and rebranding transition.

CAFSA is an independent non-profit organisation that promotes and facilitates effective giving, volunteering, and social investment. CAFSA has been represented in South Africa since 1997 and in 2000 became a registered Section 21 not-for-profit and public benefit organisation.

In 2021, CAF Global (CAF) group undertook a strategic review which highlighted the critical need for greater clarity around the CAF brand by our customers and staff. Our objective is to achieve greater clarity on what CAF group is and does as a global organisation linked to our purpose to accelerate progress in society towards a fair and sustainable future for all. As part of this brand review CAF Global, headquartered in the UK, is ceasing the use of CAF sub-brands, and the use of the CAF brand name by organisations that are outside of the CAF Global group, including CAF Southern Africa (CAFSA).

These changes will require CAFSA to undertake a re-naming exercise. The brand change can offer CAFSA full control over its brand identity as well as clarity on the partnership with CAF group. The newly renamed CAFSA organisation will remain a network member, together with various other similar organisations across the globe, of CAF Global.

CAF will support the CAFSA team in developing and deploying a new brand identity which reflects the work they do and the organisation which they are today, as well as their aspiration for growth in the future. This identity will reflect a partnership with CAF however we will no longer use the CAF brand name. CAF will provide financial support and expertise to help the CAFSA team navigate this brand name change. Project management, of which will be run locally by CAFSA.

Opportunity

CAFSA is seeking a suitable service provider to execute specific components of renaming, rebranding, brand building, and communication strategy. The service provider will work closely with a larger team to develop a brand strategy, name, and identity, which aligns with our mission, values, and goals, and resonates with our target audiences. The provider will be responsible for delivering on two of the three aspects of the project viz. the Development/Design and Delivery phases.

In addition, the service will assist CAFSA with developing and executing a communication plan that effectively promotes our new brand, engages our stakeholders, and creates a buzz around our mission and impact. The provider will leverage media relations expertise and digital marketing skills to reach out to journalists, bloggers, influencers, and social media platforms to amplify CAFSA’s message and generate positive coverage. The period of the assignment is contingent upon the completion of the Discovery Phase, which is expected to be concluded by the end of July 2023, although it is anticipated that there will be some overlap, until final completion, on or before, 30th of November 2023.

The project methodology

The rebranding exercise will be done through three core steps: Step 1 – Discover, Step 2 -Develop/Design, and Step 3 – Deliver. The work needs to crystalise the point of difference for CAFSA through the development of purpose, values and identity through a structured brand house and system of design. We invite agencies to develop a fully costed resource and timing plan for the work required to execute the two phases of change viz. Develop/Design and Deliver. 

Discovery Phase – This component has already been out-sourced to a research house and will not form part of the scope of work of this RFP. A qualitative and quantitative research report will be made available to the successful agency, as a basis to commence the Development/Design and Delivery Phases.

The Discovery Phase aims to understand the size and scope of CAFSA brand change through research, including qualitative research with customers, prospects, and non-customers. This needs to include:

• Review of current identity (personality, tone of voice, visual identity)
• Review of the strategic journey that CAFSA is on, organisational purpose and identification of key strategic drivers and enablers
• Review of organisational history, structure, and organisational culture as it affects the customer, choice of customer and business development approach
• Understanding current and future client needs and perspectives
• Analysis of competitors, including what makes CAFSA’s current product set stand out from competitors in terms of customer benefits and unique points of difference
• Review of marketing information stack and tech stack enabling customer engagement and conversion
• Refinement of organisational purpose and values

Development Phase – This phase forms part of this RFP and will be executed by the agency that is successful in being awarded the work. It involves:

• Using the insight from the discovery phase, develop a structured brand house and system of design.
• Develop three distinct naming and visual identity routes for CAFSA consideration. This needs to include considerations for future registrations of trademarks.
• Creation of tone of voice guideline, brand guidelines and website design style guide for the new CAFSA brand.
• Creation of an image library to support the brand implementation.

Expected outcomes

Development/Design Phase

Creating a well-defined brand strategy based on differentiation to support brand equity and a structured brand personality. Develop the brand DNA including:

• Brand architecture
• Brand positioning
• Naming
• Brand identity package, including tone of voice, style guide and web design style guide and examples of templates for online and offline brand touch points
• Communication strategy

Delivery and Beyond

Once the Discovery and Development Phases are completed with the support of the agency, the project will move onto the Delivery Phase of brand implementation.

The brand implementation should have a positive impact on customer retention and attraction through creating the experience, exposure, and activation to allow continuous growth.

It is therefore important that the re-brand strategy considers the impact and future measurement of brand salience, brand awareness, brand recognition and brand recall. These will be measured through the following categories in the future:

• Customer Experience – measured broadly through satisfaction or net promoter score.
• Exposure – measured broadly through unaided awareness, familiarity, consideration, and preference.
• Perception – continuous understanding of how clients think and feel about the brand. Broadly measured through customer panels, focus groups and other research.
• Culture and behaviour – focused on employee brand understanding, and how they live the values internally and externally with customers. Measured broadly through a series of staff and executive interviews to gauge cultural alignment as well as through employee engagement scores.

Although the period of the assignment is contingent upon the completion of the Discovery Phase, this exercise must be completed on or before, 30th of November 2023.

Requirements for shortlisting

A proposal with charge rates and how you intend to deliver this project, should be sent to procurement@cafsouthernafrica.org 

Your proposal, should you wish to be considered as the implementer of the above-mentioned project must indicate the following:

• Years of Re-Branding, Design, Strategic Marketing, PR, and Comms experience.
• Details of similar projects executed, ideally with references. 
• Demonstrable experience in renaming and rebranding projects.
• B-BBEE status.

Supplier documents and information required

• Vat Registration Certificate.
• Company Registration documents.
• Directors IDs.
• B-BBEE Certificate.
• Valid Tax Clearance Certificate.
• Website and social media links.
• Representative contact Details (Name / Telephone Number / Email Address).

Closing Date: 22nd of June 2023.

Failure to provide the information and documents mentioned, your proposal will preclude you from further consideration for this project. You can download a copy of this RFP by clicking here.