OptumHealth Performance Grand Opening

A group of aspiring creative athletes at The Carrot Agency were recently tasked with putting on the shoes of a triathlete. Not because we were about to run after swimming miles through a cold MN lake, but rather to envision in our minds how we would speak to an individual that was about to put their body through the ringer. How do you inspire someone who is dedicating their heart and soul to dedicate a little more?

After developing signage and collateral for the new facility in Eden Prairie, MN, the videos above highlight the aspiring tone that we used.

Check out more information at OptumHealth Performance.

Supporting Signage/Collateral:

"I BIKE MN"

Minnesotans are known to take full advantage of their summer free time outdoors after enduring the long winter months. For those that are not soaking in the rays on the lake, you may find them taking advantage of the 127 miles of bike trails (83 miles are off street trails) Minnesota has to offer.

Amongst all the trails that contribute to the healthy state and sustainable transportation, The Greenway Trail plays host to a vast variety of characters and cyclists. Many families and commuters can be found on The Greenway Trail that is 5.66 miles and ranges from Saint Louis Park to West River Parkway. Whether cyclists are using the Greenway for leisure, sport, or as a commuting alternative, they are all contributing to the Minnesota biking culture that is growing while becoming more popular and publicized.


“I Bike MN” t-shirts are becoming more apparent around Minneapolis after Bicycling Magazine named Minneapolis as America’s best bike city. And companies are taking notice. To capitalize on Minnesotans desire to get out and explore their city, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota donated $1 million to create the largest bike-sharing program in the country. The cultural shift has brought 700 bikes and 65 kiosks stations to Minneapolis and surrounding areas where individuals can rent bikes with the swipe of a credit card and peddle off with the blue and neon green bike that reads “Do.”

Having no connection to Nike’s slogan “Just Do It,” the Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s slogan “Do” does take on a similar attitude. The bike-sharing program, named Nice Ride Minnesota, plans to increase its numbers by adding another 300 bikes and 15 kiosks by next spring. More information can be found on where to rent your bike at Nice Ride Minnesota. If your looking to dump the banana seat and get serious about riding or want to view trail maps, check out the Twin Cities Bicycling Club.

Brand Maintenance

Does the partnership between KFC and the Susan G Komen Foundation make sense? For either brand? Such a partnership worked very well in the case of McDonald's and the Olympics. The fast-food chain's choice to partner with the Olympics- the epitome of an event and brand that symbolizes health- is just one of the many steps taken to maintain popularity among the increasingly healthy American population. Still, many question this campaign because it seems the only common denominator they share is the word breast.


In this case, I don't believe consumers will lose any affection for the Susan G Komen foundation for partnering with a large national chain that has the media budget to bring in the biggest donation ever for the foundation. KFC's "A bucket for the cure" campaign has a goal to raise over $8 million dollars by donating 50 cents for every bucket of chicken sold.

In this marriage, who is the parasite? Who is more in need of the other when each needs different things - one dollars and one a boost in brand identity? At first glance, the brand values do not align. KFC is just one contributor to the country's obesity problem where 1/3 of American adults are considered obese. On the other side, there is Susan G Komen who is most known for their Race for the Cure event, raising money and awareness for breast cancer. In my opinion, Susan G Komen is reaping more than she sows. The lending of her name will put millions in her pocket.

Whether it makes sense on the surface or not, I cannot deny that when first entertained by the campaign's commercial, I had positive thoughts about KFC. That is probably the first time I could say "positive" and "KFC" in the same sentence. It is a brand I did not find relevant to my lifestyle nor did I believe they were socially concerned. One campaign will not get me to change my complete perception of the brand or get me to start buying their product, but I do believe it is a good first step in revitalizing their brand identity.


Sometimes as a brand it's not about creating, but maintaining what you have already built and making changes around it.

Brand strategists can be guilty of jumping to solutions before truly uncovering the problem. No one will know the success of the campaign until brand tracking is done. My guess is this campaign was a result of KFC's last brand tracking results.

When brand tracking, we consider reporting on things such as awareness, usage, brand attitudes, perceptions, and purchase intent. But with a brand being an experience living at the intersection of promise and expectation, it would only make sense to track consumer experiences as well. KFC can't just say it, but must do it. The messaging must translate interally as well as externally. If employees call BS, so will the consumer.

KFC's brand maintenance attempt may take some additional clean up... the brand and the counters.

Renaming the Brand

Company naming. Product naming. The paper shredder.

Five days out of the week, that about sums up my daily physical and conversational interaction. But seven days a week involves some variety of conversation relating to personal name change, as my fiancee and I prepare for that uniting day. Yes, you could say the Steichen "brand" is growing, as I've found a partner I could not be happier with and believes in my brand enough to take on its school debt.

Every brand has a story. No matter what a name is representing, a person or product/service, it has something it's representing and a reputation it continues to build and sustain. Our culture is littered like the LA streets with names that are a result of rebranding. Did you know Shania Twain was once Eilleen Regina Edwards? Alice Cooper was Vincent Damon Furnier? Accenture was Anderson Consulting?

With all of the soft and hard costs to consider when renaming, the diagram below shows some of the similarities between corporate and personal renaming.