Reintroducing Nashville General Hospital Foundation with Story-Driven Branding
A comprehensive rebrand and content marketing partnership to elevate community impact.
Nashville General Hospital Foundation (NGHF) serves as the philanthropic arm of the city’s safety-net hospital, raising funds to support programs that address health equity and community wellness. Founded in 1977, the Foundation turned to By The Way Labs to help reinvent its brand and strengthen its role in the community. Through a refined focus and new mission, NGHF realigned its purpose to closely mirror the hospital’s core values—emphasizing health equity, addressing social determinants of health, and ensuring access to quality care. Embracing this vision, the Foundation’s new mission — “Nashville General Hospital Foundation Elevates, Inspires, and Nurtures meaningful relationships to foster a healthier Nashville for all” — reinforces its commitment to a healthier, more connected community.
Approach & Collaboration
Building a Stronger Foundation
- Designed a new logo and full brand guide, introducing a unified visual identity across digital, print, and video.
- Crafted new Mission, Vision, and Values — including the tagline “Elevate, Inspire & Nurture for a Healthier Nashville” — in collaboration with Hatchtree, refining the Foundation’s voice and copywriting for maximum clarity and resonance.
- Rebuilt the Foundation website with focus on story-telling, usability, and integration with donation portals.
- Developed the Elevate newsletter, including content strategy, interviews, illustration, design, and quarterly distribution.
- Produced campaign assets across multiple platforms: print collateral, social media, event branding, and video storytelling.
Results
From Fragmented Messaging to Unified Voice
- Delivered a consistent, professional brand system now adopted Foundation-wide.
- Improved administration of campaigns and content, with workflows across digital, print, and video.
- Launched Elevate, a quarterly donor newsletter that increased open rates from 6.6% to 36.2% and click-through from 0.76% to 1.57%.
- Reestablished NGHF’s voice and presence across web and social, growing Facebook reach by 500% and boosting donor engagement.
- Positioned NGHF for proactive, scalable storytelling — making donor impact visible and actionable.
The Power of Storytelling
Through content marketing, we connected patient stories with NGHF funds to show the real impact of donations. Jeff Berry’s recovery, supported by the Food Pharmacy program, highlighted how access to nutrition transforms health outcomes. By pairing patient experiences with donor generosity, we crafted campaigns that informed, inspired, and turned one-time supporters into lasting partners.
Branded Collateral, Unified Message
Brochures, flyers, and posters all follow NGHF’s brand guide, creating a consistent and recognizable voice across every campaign. Colors, typography, and messaging stay aligned, so whether at events, in clinics, or through donor mailings, the Foundation presents a professional, unified identity that reinforces trust and clearly communicates its mission.