A lesson about caring learned from an exercise in product branding
This baby elephant not wanting to leave the side of its mom reminds us of a lesson about caring. A good intention with a bad approach can lead to a poor result.
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Over the past couple of months, Garnet River’s Marketing and Application Development teams have been working to brand our new care giving app and platform: CareHerd.
As you can imagine, it was a big process filled with starts, stops, hope, and frustration. For every great name and/or concept thrown out, there was a roadblock or reason to toss it: unavailable domain, existing competitor, potential negative connotation, a core team member not liking it, etc. At times, it felt like the difficulty of building a product was easier than naming it.
CareHerd wasn’t love at first sight. The name was practical, because it conveyed what it is: a tool to power apps and other platforms that organize and connect care giving. It also resonated because it tied into another strategic project we are working on—that has a brand we love (BeHerd). So we would talk about it, set it aside, and then brainstorm other names and concepts. Ultimately, we would cast those aside and come back to CareHerd—with reluctance…until the time there was none.
What finally sold us was a simple concept and an image.
The concept: We often provide care for those we love, and we want to support those who care for who we love.
The image: a herd of elephants openly and communally comforting one another.
At its core, this is what CareHerd is about. We want to make it easier and more effective to care for those we love by removing the obstacles that make it hard to coordinate and deliver the care they need.
Often, as evidenced in the below video, we are the biggest obstacle.
The effort of the baby elephant to return to the side of its mud-stuck mother is deeply touching. Who can’t relate?
What is also relatable is the idea that we, alone, can provide the help that is needed. Not only is that not true, but often times, going it alone can keep the person we love from getting the full range of care they truly need. Caring can get in the way.
Fortunately, a lot has changed in recent years. For starters, it’s become okay to ask for help. We understand it can be just as important to support the care giver as it is to support the care receiver.
Equally important is the evolution of technology. Applications like CareHerd make coordination, connection, and care not only possible, they also make it easy, effective, and extensive.
