Situation

In 2020 a small nonprofit, WalkDenver, merged with larger and better-known Bicycle Colorado to form The Denver Streets Partnership, an advocacy arm of Bicycle Colorado. While the merger itself made great strategic sense for both groups, explaining how and more importantly why, the two organizations were coming together, took careful timing and thoughtful communication. Both WalkDenver and Bicycle Colorado were naturally concerned with how to unite two distinct groups of loyal supporters around a new shared value proposition, while also maintaining sufficient autonomy for each organization to continue delivering core activities each is best known and loved for.

What We Did

To inform the Denver Streets Partnership brand development process, RBA listened objectively to what leaders of both WalkDenver and Bicycle Colorado wanted most and got them talking more openly, and specifically, about how the two might complement one another. Then we interviewed donors, board members, city council people and mobility experts, outside the immediate leadership teams, to inform the messages Denver Streets Partnership would need to communicate to strengthen awareness, understanding and support for their desire to shape an equitable transportation system focused on connecting people.

Only after considerable collaboration were we able to recommend a new DSP brand platform and positioning, supported by a new logo, tagline, website, and newsletter, that would enable DSP to demonstrate close partnership with Bicycle Colorado, while also cueing a high degree of autonomy.

Outcome

Armed with a timely strategy for announcing the merger in distinct phases, along with communication assets to carry their story forward, Denver Streets Partnership was successful and quite pleased with the feedback received in the months following their announcement. Now, several years later, DSP is stronger than ever, growing in both influence and organizational size, and quoted regularly by news sources as one of the premier authorities on local transportation issues. In 2022 DSP powerfully lead the successful ballot initiative, Denver Deserves Sidewalks, and continues to effectively advocate for public informed processes that shape policy, public transit, shared streets, Vision Zero and more. Their powerful mission and dedicated staff, now supported by deliberate brand strategy and focused messaging, has uniquely and truly positioned Denver Streets Partnership as Denver’s Mobility Change Agents. To see how it all came together, visit denverstreetspartnership.org