NYU Casa Italiana
NYU’s Casa Italiana and Takt team up to create a modernized brand and website that spark enlightening conversations through the magic of Italian culture.
Learn. Develop. Succeed.
INTRODUCTION
LDS – Learn. Develop. Succeed. is a nonprofit charity dedicated to empowering children, youth, and adults with learning differences.
Despite being recognized as one of British Columbia’s top educational resources for children with learning differences, LDS faced a significant barrier: they were struggling to attract affluent clients who could afford their services. This group was essential to funding the charity’s mission of supporting more marginalized communities. Without this crucial clientele, LDS was hitting a ceiling and unable to expand their services to those in greater need.
While LDS excelled in delivering educational support, they didn’t understand why affluent families weren’t turning to them for help. Takt was brought in to identify the barriers, reposition the brand, revamp their digital presence, and launch campaigns that would drive both awareness and engagement with their target audiences.
Uncovering the Barriers
We began with in-depth research to understand why LDS was failing to attract more affluent clientele. Through user interviews, experience mapping workshops, and market analysis, we uncovered a crucial insight: many parents, particularly at the beginning of their journey, weren’t yet ready to confront the term “learning disability.” The name “Learning Disability Society” inadvertently created a barrier for families still processing their child’s educational challenges.
Armed with these insights, we reframed the organization’s positioning to emphasize empowerment rather than limitation. By replacing “disability” with “differences,” we positioned LDS as a resource that embraces the unique strengths of every child.
Our messaging workshops led to the renaming of the organization from “Learning Disability Society” to LDS – Learn. Develop. Succeed. This allowed the charity to retain its established acronym while shifting its focus towards a more positive, accessible message. A new tagline, “Individualized, accessible support for all of life’s learners,” solidified this transformation.
A Platform for All
We translated the new brand positioning into a fully revamped website built on WordPress using the Atomic Design approach, which provided LDS with a flexible, modular system of templates to grow alongside their needs. Key features included:
- WCAG AA 2.1 accessibility standards to ensure inclusivity.
- A calendar system to manage events and classes.
- Donation functionality to streamline giving.
- Optimized performance for SEO and a seamless user experience.
The new design was bright, approachable, and reflective of the charity’s core values of community, kindness, and achievement. It also featured intuitive navigation for families seeking immediate help for their children.
Branded Campaigns + Content
To further amplify LDS’s reach, we developed a branded campaign centered around the real-life success story of one of their students, “Josh.” The heartwarming, story-driven video showed the transformation Josh and his family experienced through LDS’s programs. This content became the centerpiece of a multi-channel campaign, including:
- Social media content for Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
- Paid digital advertising through SEM and banner ads.
- Traditional advertising such as posters and event promotions.
The new creative assets, video, and messaging were used to drive awareness, inquiries, and enrollment, ensuring that both affluent families and marginalized communities could find value in what LDS offers.
The Outcome
Through a combination of research-driven insights, thoughtful repositioning, a refreshed digital presence, and a powerful branded campaign, LDS – Learn. Develop. Succeed. saw tangible results:
- A significant increase in enrollment inquiries from both affluent families and those in need of financial assistance.
- Improved engagement metrics on their website and social media platforms.
- A strengthened brand identity that allowed them to better communicate their mission without alienating their primary audience.
By repositioning their brand and launching impactful campaigns, LDS is now poised to extend its services to more families, empowering all of life’s learners to achieve lifelong confidence and success.
