Global Marist family: A brand for Marist works at the international level
In response to the call of the XXII General Chapter to “walk as a global family,” the Strategic Plan of the General Administration (2017-2025) has defined as one of its projects the development of a common brand for Marist works at the global level, one that expresses our identity and values in line with the current context of society and the Church.
To address this, the General Council has authorized the Communications Department—working in collaboration with communications and marketing leaders from the Administrative Units, and with the support of the Liaison Councillors with the Communications Department, Brothers Sylvain and João Carlos—to conduct a study based on existing visual expressions within the Marist world. The Secretariats of Education and Evangelization are also involved in this process, along with other Secretariats of the General Administration, which are contributing to the study of specific topics.
The coordinators of the Communication and Marketing Departments from the various Administrative Units have worked in four thematic groups over the past few years, with the aim of identifying strategic guidelines to enhance the communication of the Marist message. Specifically, to support the study and development of the Marist brand proposal for Marist works, the Department received assistance from Agência Libre, based in Cascavel, Brazil. There were individual interviews with provincials and other Marist leaders from around the Marist world, focus group discussions, and a quantitative survey that collected responses from 2,874 participants across 56 countries. The final report was presented to the General Council in February 2024.
Among the conclusions, it is noteworthy that the Marist brand is not recognized as a global brand by external audiences, and only a portion of the internal audience has a global perception. Family members and students are the groups that least recognize ‘Marist’ as a global institution.
At the same time, it was noted that in the past—mainly in Europe and the Americas—there were efforts to reformulate the Marist brand. This change helped consolidate the brand’s presence, making ‘Marist’ perceived as a regional institution, but not yet a global one.
The agency also highlighted the strong support from interviewees for the creation of a global brand. Everyone acknowledges that the benefits of such an initiative outweigh the challenges. The report suggests that, strategically, the brand architecture should be adapted at the global level and, tactically, a unified visual identity should be created for the global Marist family.
Based on the report presented, the General Council approved in February 2024 the continuation of the study and the development of a proposal for the Marist brand, serving as a global reference to identify Marist works and other institutions. In response, the Communications Department at the General House is conducting several meetings with the Working Groups responsible for this project. During the plenary sessions in September 2024, the General Council will be presented with various proposals for the global Marist brand for Marist works.
This visual identity proposal will serve as a key tool for showcasing the Marist charism as a persistent force that transcends time and space. It will recognize Marist works and institutions worldwide as part of a unified community that shares common values and approaches to being, living, and educating, inspired by Marcelino Champagnat and the example of Mary.