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JG: Lincoln Institute of Veterinary Business (previously Lincoln Institute) has recently undertaken a refresh of its brand which involved the introduction of a more targeted name and a change of logo colour. This got me thinking about why companies choose to do a brand refresh and if there are clear signs when it’s time to refresh yours. Dr Michael Powell, Director at Lincoln Institute of Veterinary Business was kind enough to answer some questions….
Since 2011, Lincoln Institute of Veterinary Business has been committed to shaping a brighter veterinary industry future. We engage in our mission to safeguard the welfare of animals around the globe through the provision of research-driven and empowering non-clinical skills education and the support of veterinary professionals worldwide.
Our unique approach involves supporting individuals at all levels in the organisational structure to be more effective, facilitating their capability for high performance together as a veterinary team, as well as ensuring the financial prosperity of the business they work within. Our holistic suite of bespoke training programs is evidence-based – having been proven to promote enhanced wellbeing and fulfilment, healthier workplace cultures, and lasting commercial success in veterinary practice.
During our 12 years of serving the veterinary industry, our company has always taken an agile approach to supporting veterinary professionals through a rapidly changing business landscape and its unique challenges. With the recognition of our company’s evolution and an anticipated global marketing launch pending, the timing seemed perfect to create a fresh take on our company branding.
While we have worked in over 27 countries around the world, we were mindful that the brand awareness for our organisation is still fairly limited internationally compared to that which we have cultivated in Australia and New Zealand over the last decade. Our desire was not to depart from the solid reputation and profile associated with our existing name and logo, but rather build on and enhance it.
With any branding or even refreshing a brand, it’s important to set a very clear intention about the message you would like to convey in the marketplace. Our process involved a half-day strategy session with our team, reflecting on our core values as a passionate and dedicated community of professionals who share a common goal of driving positive and impactful change in the veterinary industry.
For example, the Lincoln Institute name is more than just a label – it’s a symbol of the organisation’s core values and mission. Inspired by the principles of Abraham Lincoln, our brand stands for freedom, innovation, and social responsibility. We recognised this remains at the core of what drives us, but we added “of Veterinary Business” to our existing brand name to reflect our commitment to supporting commercial sustainability in veterinary practice and helping veterinary professionals to thrive.
Our logo’s design draws inspiration from the classical coat of arms style, which is often associated with prestigious educational institutions. The use of this design style reinforces the Institute’s reputation as a trusted and credible educational partner in the veterinary industry. The lion symbolises strength, freedom, and the ability to overcome adversity – all qualities that resonate with the Institute’s mission to empower veterinary professionals and business owners. The quill is a subtle, yet powerful nod to the transformative power of education. The seven-pointed star on the lion’s tail is an acknowledgement of the company’s original roots in Australia.
As you can see, a tremendous amount of reflection and consultation as an organisation went into determining our revised name and logo. It was articulating the “why” that sat at the heart of those decisions that held huge significance for all our team members. It served as a timely realignment for us as a community in terms of what matters most to us. Through consultation with the entire team, we felt assured the changes embodied the organisation’s shared vision to transform the veterinary industry by promoting healthy workplace cultures, non-clinical skills training, and sustainable business practices. By including our team in the process of refreshing our brand, we ensured they felt connected to the new brand.
At Lincoln Institute of Veterinary Business, we recommend veterinary teams revisit their values and purpose every couple of years and undergo a process of realignment whenever required. In the same way that teams change over the years, so too can the values that drive engagement and a deeper sense of purpose that permeates every level of an organisation. If this refresh extends to reassessing your brand, and that work embodies the values and purpose of the organisation, it will undoubtedly help contribute to an even stronger sense of engagement and pride in the important work they do.
I strongly recommend engaging the services of a rebranding expert (such as a digital agency) who may be able to both steer the process of decision-making and also assist with the creative aspects of producing a compelling and meaningful design. Also think about the reputation you have developed in your community and whether you feel the need to depart from that. If you are held in high regard, your name might stay the same, while your visual identity receives a refresh. That was the approach we took when I owned a veterinary business whose original brand name – even though I wasn’t a tremendous fan of it personally – was firmly imprinted in the region as a centre of excellence. As a result, we determined to build on that name and performed a complete redesign of the visual identity associated with it.
The more your brand, including name, logo and/or tagline, speaks to what makes you unique in an often-crowded marketplace, the more your organisation may stand out.
A big tip here is the decision-making centre for a veterinary client’s brain is the limbic system, which responds to emotion. The more your brand, tagline and advertising copy speaks to “why” you do what you do, the more likely you are going to positively influence their decision-making. Of course, this doesn’t mean to say that client experience, reputation, and referral don’t play a huge role in prospective clients choosing you and staying with you. However, the more your branding reinforces this point of difference, the better.
Have a look at this 1-minute video that reveals the refreshed updated logo and the concepts behind it
If you have any questions about branding or refreshing the existing brand of your veterinary practice, ask them in the Comments section below.
Michael Powell is a veterinarian and co-director of Lincoln Institute of Veterinary Business. He’s responsible for several research projects into veterinary attrition, forming and chairing the 2018 Veterinary Shortage Think Tank, as well as leading a world-first Sustainability Pilot Study across 25 countries investigating targeted non-technical competency training in building resilience and career fulfillment. Since 2011, his company has been shaping a brighter future for the veterinary industry through research-driven education and support, having empowered over 1,500 veterinary professionals in 27 countries to enjoy more professional fulfillment and wellbeing, as well as securing the commercial prosperity of the organisations they work within.
Connect with Dr Michael:
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